Ayashi no Yuugi
by Kamui Gaia 07
Summary: Co-written by Mitsuki Cosmos. 5 Gods, Shinigami, Gaia, Cosmos, Sakurazukamori, & Omnyouji are sent to find the G-boy with the power of Kamui & the power to destroy or save the world.
1. Prologue

Ayashi no Yuugi

Prologue

Five boys in their teens walked quietly down the hall, a serious look on their faces, guns in hand and ready to fire. There were no words spoken except for the occasional command from the blank faced boy with messy brown hair and icy cold Prussian blue eyes. They came to a heavy metal door, and the boy with the brown hair that fell over his face, covering one emerald green eye quickly slid a card through a slot and punched in a few codes. The door slid open, and they came face to face with over one hundred guns, hammer cocked and aimed at their chests. The boys froze and a smirking man in a commander's uniform stepped forward, gun leveled at the leader.

"So you're the Gundum Pilots. I'm quite disappointed in the five of you. I expected better from the deadliest boys in the colonies and earthsphere," the man said, and his smirk turned cruel. "Drop your weapons."

The five boys exchanged resigned looks and turned on the safety and dropped their guns. The man lowered his gun and made a motion with his hand. Almost immediately, the soldiers were on the boys, and fifteen minutes later, five unconscious and battered teens were slung over broad shoulders and taken to the prison cells, where they were unceremoniously dumped on the cold and slightly damp concrete floor.

The boy with the braid was the first to waken. Wincing, he studied his friends, and breathed a quiet sigh of relief when he found that they had a few broken bones, bruises and cuts, but other than that, fine. He tucked his hands into his pockets and came up with a black stick about half a centimeter in diameter and four inches long with the letters CSA inscribed on it in red and four buttons, colored red, grey, silver, and gold.

He pressed the silver button and said quietly, "This is Shinigami, requesting back up for mission X-498. All pilots seem to be in the same condition, a few broken bones, sprained ankle or wrist, sporting multiple bruises and cuts, all currently unconscious. We can't get out without help, and I sure as hell am not leaving them here to rot."

There was a quiet blip and a feminine voice answered, "Request granted. Contacting Agents 07 Cosmos and 08 Gaia. Estimated arrival time, 1600 hours."

The boy growled in frustration and shoved the communicator into his pocket and closed his eyes in an attempt to find sleep. The CSA was sending their best, but time from point of contact to point of departure took time, as did getting from point of departure to the point arrival. Cosmos and Gaia weren't going to get there anytime soon, so he and the pilots were stuck in the OZ dungeon for the time being.


	2. Chapter 1: Assassin

**Ayashi no Yuugi (Spellbinding Game) **

_Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply._

Sakura's POV

'I wonder when she's going to stop yapping,' I thought to myself then I look towards my friend, Kotori, doing her Geometry homework and sigh before looking back at the clock, watching it tick away the seconds. Kotori is wearing a black sleeveless turtleneck nylon top with black trench coat and black jeans which has black belt with silver buckle with an initial "K" and along with black knee-high high-heeled boots. I am wearing a pale pink sleeveless turtleneck nylon top with black trench coat and black mid-thigh plated skirt with black belt which has silver buckle with an initial "S" and ankle length black high heel boots.

'There goes one minute, only thirty-seven more minutes to go until the class ends,' I thought darkly to myself before sighing softly to myself before leaning back on chair.

'Allow me to introduce you to me. My name is Sakura Tenkou, and I am in Second Year at Skyline High. Currently, I am sitting in my Foreign Language, Spanish, class,' I narrated boredly and continues while pretending to listen to the teacher, 'That's my friend, Kotori Tenou. She's in her Third Year at Skyline High, we became friends in Spanish class, but that's a different story in which I won't go into details. Lastly, that's my Spanish teacher, Mrs. Tuttle; do you notice the name? It's sort of similar to turtle,'

Reader's POV

"Do you understand, class?" Mrs. Tuttle said, even though half of the class doesn't seem to be listening, then she stops her lecture for the day and goes to her desk. A few minutes later, the school bell rings for a moment, indicating that the whole school is in lock-down mode. Sakura and Kotori thought of the lock-down as another drill and begins working on their homework; suddenly both of their laptops begin beeping. For a brief second, the two look at each other then nods before taking out their representative laptops and headsets. On both of their screen displays:

'Phoenix, Angel:

An assassin is your school, searching for you two. You know what to do. Afterwards, you will be sent to rescue the Pilots at the coordinates given. Do you accept the mission?'

"Mission Acknowledged," stated Kotori and Sakura in monotone with a snide smirk before closing their laptops and puts our things away in our black backpacks.

"Call the Agency to pickup the guy, Kotori," instructed Sakura to her friend coolly then she continues, "I'll deal with our target. It'll be a snitch," with that, she zips her backpack casually. Just then, the classroom door slams open, scaring everyone but the two girls who turn to look at the assassin.

"Everyone on the ground, NOW!" yelled the man in his late forties with a pistol in his hand, pointing at anyone, who dares to defy him.

"W-what's going on?" asked Javey Tri, a classmate sitting next to Kotori in scared yet curious tone. Without any warnings, the man pulls his triggers as Javey quickly ducks and the bullet heads straight towards Sakura while Kotori finishes dialing to the Agency.

Chapter 2: Kuroi Tsuki (Black Moon)

As the bullet approached its destination, Sakura stands up from her seat and flips her waist length black hair over to her shoulder while looking calmly at the assassin. With a swift movement, she caught the bullet with two fingers, stopping it from hitting her.

"Nice try, but you LOSE!" stated Sakura to the assassin coldly and crushed the bullets with her hand then she flips over two desks and landed gracefully on the other side, a few feet in front the shocked assassin. Sakura kicked the gun from the man's hand and grabbed the gun, twirling it in her fingers before pointing the barrel at his forehead. She chuckles at his shocked expression then tosses the gun to Kotori who catches the gun and aims it at the assassin's chest while waiting for the call to get through, and without even looking at her friend or would be assailant while Sakura swiftly slapped handcuffs on the assassin.

"You are under arrest for attempted murder in the second degree. You have the right to remain silent and anything you say can and will be used against you in the Court of Law," recited Sakura after she handcuffed the assassin and she continues reading his rights, "You have the right to attorney and if you can not afford one, we will give you one," then she looks at Kotori, who smirks at her, the assassin's gun still aimed for his heart.

"Hey, Seishiro!" Kotori says when the agency operator picked up, "Send an agent down to Skyline High, will ya? Sakura and I've got an assassin on our hands and a call to arms from Madame S."

"Sure, Kotori," says a cool voice on the other side of the line, "Subaru should be there in 3…2…1!"

Sure enough, at that very moment, a black haired man with green eyes wearing a black t-shirt, jeans, boots, and a white trench coat walked in, his face showing no emotion.

"Thanks a lot, Sei-chan!" Kotori said and hung up, tossing the gun to Subaru.

Subaru caught the gun and stuck it in his pocket and smiled, saying, "Well done girls, now, don't you have a mission to take care of?"

The two girls laughed and Kotori grabbed her backpack and Sakura's and they left the class with the Omnyouji, dragging the handcuffed assassin away with them, leaving behind a stunned class and teacher.


	3. Chapter 2: Mission X498

Ayashi no Yuugi

Disclaimer: standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter 2

Sakura and Kotori stand in front of the mahogany desk, looking at the screen of the computer in front of them. There is a layout of the OZ base the Gundam Pilots are being held in. A red dot marks the spot where they are, courtesy of the transmitter on the Shinigami's communicator.

"Your objectives are to free the pilots, help them complete their mission and see them safely back to the base for treatment. There is information on the mainframe about the pilots, the two of you included, which must not remain in their hands. Accept or decline?" asked the dark haired woman with red eyes.

"Mission acknowledged," Kotori and Sakura said together.

"First you must free the pilots, get the information from the mainframe, and destroy the base. Leave no survivors. Then, you will go to the Peacecraft Academy in Sanq and enroll yourselves there. You will play the part of normal students and protect Relena Peacecraft until new information about your next mission arrives."

The two girls nodded and left the room.

The Gundam pilots were awake now, and broken bones had been reset and dislocated shoulders were popped back into place. All five boys had moved into the shadows, conserving their energy and waiting for the chance to break out and complete their mission. Considering that they didn't collapse halfway down the hall of course.

They heard footsteps, and an OZ soldier came in and threw a bleeding and battered girl in a black cat suit with waist length black hair and grey eyes into the cell.

"You can stay with the Gundam Pilots," he said sneering evilly, amused when she curled into a fetal position, whimpering, "They might just treat you better than my comrades." He laughed and walked away.

When he was gone, Quatre moved to the girl's side and said, "Don't believe that idiot. None of us will hurt you. My name is Quatre. The one with the braid is Duo, the one with the ponytail is Wufei, the one with only one eye visible is Trowa, and the last one is Heero. Now, what is your name?"

The girl sat up, and said, "I'm Gaia." She smiled and pulled out a black cylinder and threw it at the door, and flattened herself on the ground. The explosion blew the door off its hinges and Gaia got to her feet and said, "My partner Cosmos is in the heart of the base right now downloading the files. Your mission has been aborted. This base will self destruct in five minutes and my job is to get the five of you out of here!" and ran out the door, grabbing her guns off the table where the OZ officer had left them and shoved three into their holsters, keeping the fourth in her hands, and slung her daggers back on her hips and in her boots.

She smiled at the pilots and said, "Anyone having trouble walking?" **Quatre** shook his head and Gaia nodded. "Fine, follow me." Gaia left the room, ignoring Wufei's mutterings about "Injustice," and "Weak onnas."

She walked calmly and as soon as they came to a corner, they came across a group of thirty soldiers racing toward them. The G-boys dove behind the wall as the OZ soldiers saw them and started firing. Gaia cocked an eyebrow when none of the bullets came even remotely close to hitting her and raised her gun and shot each soldier between the eyes and when she ran out of bullets, she slipped the gun into the holster, pulled out a loaded one, and started shooting all over again. When the last soldier fell, she smirked. "What were they aiming for, anyway? I was only four yards in front of them."

The pilots each took two guns from the soldiers and the group moved on. They came to the heart of the base and Gaia shot the electronic lock and the doors slid open and the group walked in. Gaia left the pilots to guard the door and slipped into the chair next to Cosmos.

Cosmos, who was quickly downloading the information the Gundam pilots were originally trying to get, didn't look up as her partner slid into the chair beside her and simply said, "You're late."

"We got held up," Gaia said calmly and she began hacking into the mainframe, quickly deleted certain files from the hard drive, leaving only the files that had to be downloaded, and slipped a disk into the driver and began downloading the second half of the files to make the job easier. Soon, both drives beeped and the two girls took the disks, slipped them into pouches and stuck them into their pockets and proceeded to delete the remaining files.

They left quickly, and the two girls shooed the boys down to the hangers where their Gundams were being kept, and they quickly navigated their way out of the base. They jumped on their motorcycles just as the Gundams blasted their way out of the base. The girls roared off and after an hour, the two girls stopped, turned and grinned. They pulled out two detonators and pressed the button. The base roared into oblivion, and the two laughed, put on their helmets, and rode off.


	4. Chapter 3: Peacecraft Academy

SEQ CHAPTER h r 1Ayashi no Yuugi

Chapter 3 Peacecraft Academy

Kotori's POV

Sakura and I walked up the steps that led to the doors of the Peacecraft Academy. Ironic isn't it? Seven soldiers fighting for peace attending a school of pacifism. Bleah. Complete pacifism won't bring lasting peace. Maybe for a year or so, there will be peace, but then some idiot will start secretly manufacturing weapons, then a year or so later, they'll have enough weapons to stage a global takeover, and we'd all be powerless to stop it.

We went into Relena Peacecraft's office to discover that she wasn't in, so we went to her secretary and signed up to enter the school. We were accepted without question, and given our dormitory numbers and keys, and our schedule. Then we were dismissed with an overly cheery, "Have a nice year!"

Normal POV

Kotori and Sakura walked down the hall to their Chem Class.

Inside the class, Duo is bugging Wufei as usual and the other Pilots simply ignored them as well as the other students. (Note: This is a common occurrence). The door opens and two girls walked in.

The teacher looked up and said, "Class, we have two new students, please welcome them warmly," then he motions to the door, as two girls entered the class. One had waist length black hair with gray eyes and the girl next to her next to her had prussian blue-black waist length hair with amber colored eyes. Both girls somehow managed to make the horrible pink girl's uniform look wonderful.

"Girls, please introduce yourselves to the class," stated the teacher to the two whilst the two girls exchanged looks of amusement before answering.

"I am Kotori Tenou," said the first girl in a monotone, "A pleasure."

"Sakura Tenkou, it's a pleasure to meet you," said the second girl with a small smile.

Both girls ignored the catcalls and wolf whistles, and appreciative looks from the boys and the death glares from the girls. The teacher looked around and finally said, "Miss Tenou, you may take the empty seat next to Heero, and Miss Tenkou, you may take the seat next to Wufei."

Both girls nodded and walked over to the two seats beside the pilots. Kotori had to walk past Duo in order to get to her seat, and as she passed, she dropped a folded sheet of paper into his hands.

Duo raised an eyebrow and unfolded the note and read, "So you got help. You owe us big time Shinigami, my dearest little brother."

He groaned and smacked his head against the desk, earning amused looks from Kotori and Sakura, and confused looks from his friends as well as a few muttered, "Braided-baka," from Wufei.

The teacher began to lecture, and Kotori and Sakura shook their heads and pulled out their laptops. Neither girl paid much attention to the withering glare coming from Heero as he inspected them from behind the screen of his own laptop.

They opened their private chat room and began to discuss their newest and least liked mission.

Cosmos: Why the hell do we have to protect Peacecrap, anyway? She has five of the most elite soldiers ever trained protecting her.

Gaia: Because Shinigami and his friends can't always be there to protect her, and there will be times where they receive a mission where they won't be able to spare a single pilot to protect her.

Cosmos: Where in the Outer System did you get that?

Gaia: I'm not called the perfect assassin for nothing, old friend, and you know it.

Cosmos: Hai, hai. I know, but that doesn't mean that I won't loathe this mission. These uniforms are absolutely tasteless, and the Peacecrap bitch has absolutely no idea how a proper princess should act.

Gaia: Look on the bright side. Shinigami now owes us a favor, and we can make him do whatever we want to repay his debt.

Cosmos: Joy.

Kotori glanced up in time to see the teacher approaching them, and she quickly typed, Gaia: Pham at 1 o'clock and she looks pissed. and logged out and closed all windows but the notepad where she had been taking notes while chatting with Sakura. Two seats in front of her, between Wufei and Trowa, Sakura could be seen doing the same.

The teacher glanced at the screen of the two girls' laptops and glared at them. She had been sure they had been doing something besides taking notes.

She smiled slightly and said, "Since you've been so attentive, Miss Tenou, please determine how many atoms are in 2.12 mol of propane."

Sakura and Duo smirked, both knew that to be a part of the Agency required mastery over basic chem., algebra, geometry, history, and weaponry, not to mention that Kotori was the best of the best, and had finished all necessary schooling nearly seven years before and only attended school to avoid rousing suspicion. Kotori rose, flipping her hair over her shoulder, effectively flipping off the teacher behind the screen of her hair and glided over to the board and wrote the entire formula,and with flourishes.

Kotori gave Ms. Pham a death glare and whispered in a deadly voice as she passed, "Nice try but I know my chemistry. I suggest you don't try that again, because I can and will hurt you."

The teacher shivered in fear as Kotori sat down and calmly opened a new window and began to type. Sakura smirked cruelly and turned back to her computer as well.

Not too long after, the bell rang and the class formed a stampede that left the room, leaving only two people who took their sweet time packing and leaving the class and the terrified teacher.

"What's our next class?" Kotori said calmly as they left the lab.

"Room 282, American Lit with Acosta," Sakura replied.

The two entered the class and the teacher smiled and said, "Take a seat, I'll introduce you later when class starts."

The two girls bowed and sat next to the same people as the previous class, coolly. This time, Sakura dropped a note into Duo's hands. He blinked in surprise and opened the note and read, "Next time try not to get caught. By the way, Gaia and I may be calling on that favor you owe us soon, and needless to say, it won't be pleasant. Cosmos."

"You're both trying to blow my cover, aren't you, Cosmos, Gaia?" Duo said quietly, barely moving his lips.

"No, of course not, Shinigami," Kotori said even more quietly, her lips hardly moving at all, "That would mean blowing our own cover, and that just won't do."

"All we're trying to say is that you owe us a favor for helping you with mission X-498. We put our lives on the line, and you risked blowing your own cover, Shinigami, by calling the Agency for help with your mission," Sakura added, just as quietly, moving her lips as little as Dou or Kotori.

"You're trying to put me through hell then."

"You rule hell, Dou," both girls said simultaneously, before taking their seats.

The bll rang and the teacher smiled and said, "We have new students, Kotori Tenou, and Sakura Tenkou." Sakura and Kotori stood up and the teacher nodded. As Sakura and Kotori sat down, she continued, "Please make them feel welcome. Now, open your books to page three fifty nine and take notes about the Eve Wars. You may work alone or in groups of four or less. The assignment is due at the end of the class, and if you're working in groups, keep in mind that this is an individual assignment."

There was a quiet rustle of books and paper being pulled out of backpacks and Sakura and Kotori grinned at each other and pulled out their laptops again as the teacher stepped out of the room. Both girls typed away busily, as the class began to socialize quietly, the quiet murmurs blending together in the background. Soon, both girls' heightened senses caught the sound of the door opening and the sudden hush which signaled the teacher's return. Neither of them looked up, not even when the sound of a throat being cleared was heard. It didn't concern them, or so they thought.

A hand suddenly slammed down on the desk in front of Kotori who deliberately emailed her assignment to the teacher, and slowly closed her laptop and just as slowly, slipped it into her bag before looking up placidly at the girl in front of her. Her grey eyes were calm and her face expressionless as she studied the obviously enraged girl in front of her.

"May I help you?" Kotori's voice was quiet, gentle, and cool, bearing only the barest hint of politeness.

"Yes," the girl replied, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she stuck her nose into the air with a sniff. "You are in my seat."

"Are the seating arrangements permanent?" Kotori's voice remained level, though it had lost the hint of politeness that had been present earlier. Sakura and Duo shifted uncomfortably. They could feel the hitokiri in Kotori rising, her aura was beginning to settle from the warm amber to the icy silver.

"Yes, at least in this seat! Everyone knows that I'm the only one who can sit next to my He-chan!" the girl yelled.

Kotori raised an eyebrow, her eyes changing from the usual soft grey to a piercing silver hue. "Would this He-chan happen to be your boyfriend? Or is he simply someone that you're infatuated with?"

The girl screeched in anger and went off in a rant about how she and her He-chan were soulmates and had been destined to be married and that sort of thing. Of course, that sort of thing didn't interest Kotori at all, and all she did was glance at her laptop and raised a wry eyebrow toward Duo, asking him, 'How the hell do you put up with these insignificant pests all day?'

Duo grinned and mouthed, 'I just tune them out.'

Kotori rolled her eyes and watched as the girl continued to rant, her eyes half closed, and leaned back in her chair, bored out of her wits. Finally, having enough, Kotori opened her eyes, revealing that the piercing silver had become icy amber and said coldly, "Yamatte. You're acting like a spoiled brat." Her voice was level but venomous, and her eyes were hard, Kotori's aura had settled into a thin icy line, the aura of a hitokiri, an assassin, and she practically radiated ice. She continued, "Who do you think you are? The Queen of the Universe? Your so called 'beloved He-chan who loves you' hasn't spoken a single word to help you, out of embarrassment, no doubt. Just shut up, and go back to that nice white padded room of yours and leave us sane people alone, ahou."

Kotori ignored the snickers coming from the students around her, and studied the girl intently, noting with satisfaction that her face was turning red with humiliation and purple with rage. She grinned inwardly and put on a worried face and said, "Are you alright? Do you need to see the nurse? Seriously, you don't look too good. You look like you need help, and lots of it," her voice was still gentle, but she didn't try to mask the venom or amusement that she was sure could be detected in her voice.

"Why you!" the girl shrieked, leaping onto the desk, knocking pens and books off onto the floor.

Kotori plastered a mask of shock and terror onto her face and leapt backwards, keeping herself upright with Trowa's desk. Just then the teacher reentered the room.

"Miss Peacecraft!" he yelled, "What do you think you're doing? I'm trying to make the new students feel welcome, and I find you terrorizing one of them! You should be ashamed of yourself! Get off that girl's desk and sit down in the empty desk at the front of the room!"

Kotori's eyes flashed with triumph before disappearing beneath her mask. In front, Sakura and Dou gave her reproving looks for her antics. Kotori knew that she would be in for it when the class ended, but at the moment, she was enjoying her victory over Relena Peacecraft far too much to care.

Slowly, Relena got off the desk and stalked to the front of the class, and just as slowly, Kotori lowered herself off Trowa's desk and onto the floor where she began to collect her pens and books.

Dou and Sakura could sense the hitokiri in Kotori receeding, and it was true. The assassin faded from her eyes first, changing from amber to silver to the usual gentle grey, then from her face, and then her aura, which slowly expanded from the icy silver line back to the usual lake of warm gold. Both sighed in relief as the bell rang. There would be no more confrontations that could possibly blow their cover again, since classes had just ended for the day.


	5. Chapter 4: Mission X499

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter 4: Mission X-499

Sakura and Kotori sat in the sitting room of their dorm, Sakura doing homework, Kotori making adjustments to their student files. Both girls talked quietly while working, and as Kotori changed the enrollment fees from unpaid to paid, Sakura's laptop beeped. Both girls stopped what they were doing and Kotori shook her head.

"What do you want to bet that the G-boys are in trouble again?" Sakura murmured.

"Why bet? We know they're in trouble. They always are."

"That's true. They're magnets for trouble."

Sakura opened her email and read:

_Cosmos, Gaia,_

_The details of X-499 are as follows:_

_There is something going on underground at the coordinates gamma 33, epsilon 55, beta 8, and omega 7. The Gundam pilots plus Zechs Marquise have already been sent ahead to investigate. 09 and 10 will be joining you for this mission._

_You leave at 8:00 PM. Rendezvous point is alpha 21, omega 12._

_Do not take the Cosmos Angel or White Phoenix. Take the Chi no Ryu and Kou Unmei._

_Remember that no one is to know who you are. And don't use your powers unless in an emergency._

_Tonight, Gundam Team Kamikaze will make contact with the Gundam Pilots._

_Madame S._

The two girls exchanged looks. Kotori glanced at the clock and said, "It's seven thirty. We should start getting ready if we want to get to the rendezvous point on time."

"Aa," agreed Sakura.

"So let's go," Kotori said coolly, closing her laptop.

XoXoXoXoXoXoX

Half an hour later, Kotori and Sakura were hovering over the Rendezvous point about two miles outside the atmosphere. They waited for five minutes before they were met with a Gundam in black with a white inverted five pointed star and a Gundam in white with a black five pointed star.

The girls opened their vid-links to the new Gundams and Sakura said coldly, "Care to explain why you're late?"

"How well the mission is completed depends on the punctuality of those who will carry out the mission and their efficiency," Kotori said, her voice monotoned, her eyes a harsh glowing silver.

"Whether or not you survive depends on how swiftly you react, whether or not the mission is completed depends on how soon you can get to the rendezvous point and how swiftly you go through the protocols," Sakura said curtly.

"If we are required to constantly remind you that lives are at stake before rushing through phases and skipping steps to make up for lost time," Kotori said, her eyes narrowing.

"The mission will be jeopardized, innocent lives will be put at stake, and efficiency is lowered as well as the chances of completing the mission and getting away alive," both girls said in unison.

The two pilots of the two new Gundams winced and nodded meekly.

"We'll try to reach the rendezvous point on time next time," Subaru said.

"See that you do," Kotori snapped.

"Let's go and begin this mission," Seishiro said, "the sooner we finish Mission X-499, the sooner you can yell at us for our tardiness."

"Good idea," Sakura said, "CSA pilot 07, code name Cosmos, ready."

"CSA pilot 08, code name Gaia, ready," Kotori said, her voice cold and uncaring, her eyes flickering silvery amber.

"CSA pilot 09, code name Sakurazukamori, ready," Seishiro said.

"CSA pilot 10, code name Omnyouji, ready," Subaru said.

"Gaia, begin team teleport to coordinates gamma 33, epsilon 55, beta 8, and omega 7," Cosmos commanded.

"Activating team teleportation," Gaia said as she slid out a keyboard from the console and tapped several keys. "Teleportation sequence activating in 07 seconds… 04… 03… 02… 01 seconds. Teleportation sequence activated." Gaia pressed a green button and a pale blue-green light surrounded the four Gundams. When the light faded, the Gundams were gone.

On earth, two miles above ground, the blue green light appeared and disappeared, leaving behind four Gundams. "Disengaging team teleportation," Gaia said, tapping several keys in on the console, "Teleportation sequence ended. Arrival at coordinates gamma 33, epsilon 55, beta 8, and omega 7 confirmed," Gaia reported, pressing a blue button while sliding the keyboard back into the console.

"I'll scan the area for an entrance," Cosmos said coolly, sliding a keyboard from the console and tapping several keys.

"And if you don't find one?" Sakurazukamori asked, already knowing the answer.

Gaia and Cosmos grinned feral grins and said in unison, "Why, then we'll make one."

Omnyouji groaned, "I thought assassins and spies were supposed to be discreet?"

"We've been through this before, Omnyouji," Gaia said gently. "Sometimes the things that are well hidden are in plain sight. Even we can miss things if it's right in front of us."

"But you certainly won't miss it if it blows up the landscape," Omnyouji said irritably.

"But by then it would be too late to do anything, ne, Subbie-chan?" Cosmos cooed, still tapping at the keyboard.

"Please don't call me that," Omnyouji said, sighing.

"Hai, Subbie-chan," the girl's chorused before breaking into giggles.

"You're terrifying when you act so childish while you're in Hitokiri mode, Gaia-kun," Sakurazukamori commented lightly with an amused grin on his face.

"Found it!" Cosmos sing songed. "I'll send you the info, and from this point on, we maintain radio silence. No communications but through telepathy. There should be no need to remind anyone not to do anything stupid once we get inside."

"Tell that to Shinigami," Omnyouji said before switching off his vid-link.

"He does have a point," Cosmos sighed, switching off her own vid-link. She reached under her seat and pulled out a helmet/mask and put it on. She maneuvered the Chi no Ryu into position and began gathering power for the attack.

"So we're the last ones to initiate radio silence," Sakurazukamori said cheerily. "Are you going to wear that mask again, Gaia?"

"What do you think?" Gaia snarled, her eyes completely amber, before shutting off her vid-link. She grabbed her own helmet/mask from beneath her seat and jammed it on her head. She maneuvered the Akage Unmei into place behind Cosmos's Chi no Ryu with Omnyouji between herself and Sakurazukamori.

Cosmos's Chi no Ryu placed its hands together, palm to palm, and spread it apart, and a white light blasted from it, slamming into the ground, creating a crater large enough for the four Gundams to get through. They burst into the underground base, and brought forth total chaos.

Gaia and Sakurazukamori instantly became the assassins they were known for, and brought death upon any MS or MD that dared attack them, providing a distraction for Omnyouji and Cosmos. Cosmos and Omnyouji instantly slipped through the chaos with ease, cutting down the MS and MD in their way, steadily carving their way toward the entrance. Omnyouji took up a defensive stance and cut own anyone who got close while Gaia and Sakurazukamori carved through the sea of MS and MD, leaving a trail of death in their wake. They arrived in time to help Cosmos blast open the door, and to guard her back as she and Omnyouji leapt out of their Gundams and vanished into the base.

'_I'm getting bored' _Gaia's mental voice said dryly in Sakurazukamori's mind.

'_So am I' _he answered.

'_Lets finish this so we can join in the fun elsewhere' _Gaia suggested.

'_How?'_

'_Like this.' _A burst of gold light appeared and when it faded, all the MS and MD were little more than twisted hunks of melted metal scattered here and there.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Cosmos and Omnyouji ran through the twisting halls of the base, keeping to the shadows. Omnyouji paused occasionally to plant an explosive before racing to catch up with Cosmos who slowed her speed to the bare minimum to allow him to work.

Cosmos led the way confidently, her mask had a computer installed inside, allowing her to track Shinigami's communicator and to check for life in the base. So far, there were hordes of blinking red dots and the single black dot that was Shinigami surrounded by five other red dots that had to be the other Gundam pilots which was moving steadily in one direction, completely unaware of the hordes of red dots moving towards them.

'_They need us' _Cosmos projected to Omnyouji.

'_Where?"_

"_Down three levels to the north. We have to hurry.'_

'_Lead the way, Cosmos.' _Omnyouji replied, and throwing all caution to the winds, the two CSA Agents sped up, slowing only to attach explosives to the walls.

'_Cosmos!' _Madame S's voice called.

'_Nanda yo!' _Cosmos snapped. She didn't like being interrupted in the middle of a mission, even if it was from Madame S who never interrupted the four top CSA Angents during missions unless it was absolutely necessary.

'_Let Shinigami know that he's in danger. Tell him that under no circumstances is he to get caught the same goes for you and the other three!'_

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

'_Shinigami!' _Cosmos's mental voice slammed through Duo's head with the force of a rampaging bull.

'_What is it, Cosmos?' _he replied worriedly. Cosmos never calls anyone if they're in the middle of a mission. If she did, then something was obviously wrong.

'_You have over five hundred of the enemy in front of you! Omnyouji and I are trying to move as fast as we can, but we'll never make it before you meet the enemy! You're in grave danger! Whatever you do, don't get caught! That's an order from Madame S!'_

'_I won't get caught. Did S tell you why we shouldn't get caught?'_

'_Don't ask questions, ahou! Just follow directions! And don't use your communicator or your power! If she didn't elaborate, then we can't take any chances!"_

'_Don't you think I don't already know that?'_

'_Urusei and fight! The enemy's almost on top of you!'_

Duo snapped out of the conversation and whipped out his gun and shot the first of the Oz soldiers who had just stepped out from behind the corner. Instantly, all of the other Gundam pilots and Zechs had their guns out and were shooting frantically and trying to stay alive.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Meanwhile, Sakurazukamori and Gaia found themselves lost in the hallways of the base for the seventh time.

'_AHOU GA! YOU LED US DOWN THE WRONG HALLWAY!'_ Gaia mentally raged at Sakurazukamori.

'_Stop yelling, Gaia! At this rate, even those without magical capabilities will be able to detect our presence!' _Sakurazukamori replied.

'_This is the last time I let you lead! Ahou! This is all your fault!'_

'_Stop yelling and just blast through the floor, Gaia!'_

The two assassins gathered their energy and sent a powerful burst of power through the floor, creating huge holes through the next forty floors under them. The two jumped through the holes and descended and landed on the ground neatly, employing their training to keep from landing the wrong way and their psychic powers to soften the fall.

Sakurazukamori looked around and said, _'Hey, I think we're in the control room.'_

'_We used enough power to get to the heart of the base, Sei-chan,' _Gaia said coolly.

"_You brought Tori-kun out! In the middle of a mission too!'_

'_Urusei,' _Gaia snapped, quickly typing in codes and rerouting programs to make her search and download easier and more efficient.

Sakurazukamori sat down beside her and the two began to hack into the base's main computer and downloading the files. They could sense the familiar auras of Cosmos and Omnyouji coming, and grinned.

'_What are the chances of those two actually getting in here without getting into a fight over who enters first?' _Sakurazukamori projected cheerily as he worked.

'_If it was just us, slim to none. But since we have the Gundam pilots and Zechs Marquise on our tail, they won't waste time. the one who opens the door is the one who gets in first.' _Gaia replied, her hands flying over the keys.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Omnyouji and Cosmos almost flew into the fray. Soon, they were mowing down enemy soldiers at nearly impossible speed, shooting their guns and changing guns when they ran out of ammo faster than the eye could see. Cosmos fired off her gun occasionally at the enemy that got too close while she attached a bomb to the walls. Soon, most of the enemy was down, and Cosmos and Omnyouji, after hastily exchanging words with Duo, waded out of the fray and disappeared around the corner, racing down to the control room as quickly as possible, again, slowing only to plant the explosives.

They ran through countless hallways, planting hundreds of explosives, and soon, they came to the control room. Cosmos stood guard while Omnyouji connected the keypad to his handheld computer and punched a few keys. He watched warily as the numbers letters and symbols flashed over the screen. Soon, the computer beeped and the titanium alloy doors slid open and the two spies slipped through the doors and into seats in the console opposite the ones the two assassins were working at. Quickly, the two spies ran through the usual protocols of sifting, deleting, downloading, and uploading.

Ten minutes later, the four completed their work. Swiftly, they flew through the holes in the base and landed on the floor of the last hole guided by Cosmos, they raced back to their Gundams and leapt inside.

Swiftly, they turned the Gundams on and blasted out of the base and upward. Another half an hour later, they were only 30 miles from leaving the atmosphere completely. They hovered above the base and watched opened their vid links, waiting for the pilots to activate their program on the computers in the control room. Swiftly, Omnyouji and Sakurazukamori grabbed their masks (Think about the ones that Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon wears.) from beneath their seats and slipped them on.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

The Gundam pilots reached the control room an hour later and Trowa punched in a few codes and the titanium alloy doors slid open. The pilots blinked to see the rubble in the room and the hole in the ceiling that moved up forty floors. Each of the pilots took their seats and began to hack into the mainframe and blinked when each screen made an image of four people, two men and women, all wearing masks.

Duo nudged Zechs and said, "Hey, Zechs, they ripped off your mask!"

Zechs ignored Duo when the woman with blue-black hair said, _"Greetings Gundam Pilots and Zechs Marquise, I am pilot 07, Cosmos. I am the leader of Gundam Team Kamikaze."_

The other woman with black hair said, _"I am pilot 08, Gaia."_

The young man with green eyes said, _"I am pilot 09, Omnyouji."_

The other man with gold eyes said, _"I am pilot 10, Sakurazukamori."_

Duo blinked and said, "What's a Sakurazukanori?"

"_You'll pay for that, Shinigami," _Sakurazukamori's voice echoed through Duo's mind.

"_As you can see, we have arrived at the base and collected all the information there is. Your mission has been aborted, courtesy of Gundam Team Kamikaze. Everything has been deleted. You have two hours after this communication ends to leave the base before the explosives planted by our team detonates," _Gaia said in monotone.

"_We have no wish to kill possible allies," _Omnyouji said, his voice dry, stating that he wasn't happy about the arrangements, _"Therefore it would be in your best interests to evacuate immediately."_

"_You will see us often during missions, so get used to losing to us, Gundam pilots," _Sakurazukamori said, his voice cool and collected. _"This broadcast ends now."_

The screens went blank and then showed a clock counting down the amount of time left before the base was destroyed. The pilots stared at the clock for a minute and instantly were out of their seats and they took off to safety.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Outside, 07, 08, 09, and 10 cut the connection and activated the countdown program. They drifted downwards so their Gundams stood on a hill several miles away from the base. They knew that they could be easily seen by the six pilots when they left, and it was their intention to be seen.

The Gundam pilots blasted out of the base with five minutes to spare and spotted the Gundam Team Kamikaze on a hill. The four Gundams rose into the air and the red and gold Gundam with black wings fired off a blast at the base and the four Gundams took off. The six Gundam Pilots gave chase, and an explosion rocked the air behind them, signaling the base's entrance into oblivion.

"_That's over fifty thousand more souls for the Shinigami to deal with, ne, Sakurazukamori?" _Cosmos's words came loud and clear over the Gundam pilots' link.

"_That's right." _Sakurazukamori's cool voice replied.

"_Let's get further away from the children before we jeopardize our mission," _said Omnyouji.

"_Good idea. Gaia, get us out of here!" _Cosmos yelled.

Gaia slid a keyboard out of the console and began tapping keys. _"Kamikaze Team teleport activated," _she said as she pressed a green button. The blue-green light enveloped the four Gundams and they vanished.

The six Gundams of the six pilots stopped and the five teens and one man stared at the screens in their computers in shock.

"We have to let Dr. J know about this," Quatre said tiredly.

"He won't be very happy about it either," Duo said cheerily, his eyes betraying a hint of worry. _'They'll blow our cover like this, and we'll lose Kamui, again!'_

"Let's go back and give our report," Trowa said.

The six pilots nodded and left.


	6. Chapter 5: The Bet

Ayashi no Yuugi

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.

**Chapter 5: The Bet**

In a hidden lab somewhere in the mountains, Dr. J was seething. A woman with tanned skin, green eyes, and green-black hair sat smirking in front of him. The screens of the laptops in front of them displayed two different reports on the mission from the two Gundam teams.

"It should seem, that GT Kamikaze is the superior team," the woman said.

"It is not possible!" Dr. J yelled. "Your team was trained only for a month, and my team had trained for years! They even fought the Eve Wars and every little fight in between!"

"Nonetheless," the woman said, "your team, despite the presence of Zechs Marquise, was bested by my team. It seems that I am the superior in the field of creating the perfect soldiers. You lost. Now pay up."

"DAMMIT! I CAN'T BELIEVE I LOST TO SOMEONE LIKE YOU, MAGAMI SATSUKI!" Dr. J bellowed.

Madame S simply smirked as Dr. J handed her four hundred dollars, her winnings from their bet.

A/N: I know, I know. This is a short chapter. This chapter was actually Mitsuki Cosmos's idea, so don't yell at me.


	7. Chapter 6: The Perfect Assassin

Ayashi no Yuugi

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies.

**Chapter 6: Perfect Assassin**

In the colony L4, a dark figure smiled as it crept along the roof of a mansion. The best security guards and the most vicious guard dogs money could buy couldn't keep her from getting where she wanted. She was getting close… She could almost smell her prey… She could almost smell his blood… The first officer of the Nautilus, a new faction that would threaten peace between earth and the colonies… Yamanaka Fujita…

She smiled slightly at the sight of the sakura tree under his window… How reminiscent of his Japanese heritage… Her friend back in the Academy would be happy to know how her namesake helped her with this mission… Just as she herself had done in countless other missions in the past…

No.

Now was not the time to think about past missions and her partner sleeping soundly in her bed in their dormitory, well aware of what her friend was doing. She was in the middle of a mission. She could afford no slip ups or distractions, not when she was so close to her prey, so close…

She dropped from the roof into the topmost branches of the sakura, a lithe shadow, undetectable amid the shifting blossoms and shadows on the tree. She leaned against the trunk and pulled a handheld computer from a pouch on her belt. She grinned, her eyes hidden by the mask on her face. Quickly, she tapped at the keys, taking out security and turning off the alarms. The computer vibrated slightly, alerting her to the fact that the work was done. The assassin slipped the computer back into her pocket and slid the window open and shimmied inside.

She came to the bed, and silently unsheathed one of the two kodachis strapped to her back. The quiet hissing of metal against metal was enough to wake the sleeping soldier. Yamanaka Fujita bolted upright, his gun aimed at the open window. His hand shook. He knew he'd closed the window. The alarm had not been set off, there was no barking or howling from his guard dogs, his bodyguards were not bursting into his room, guns at ready, but the window was open.

That meant only one thing.

An assassin was in the mansion.

"That's right," the assassin whispered, appearing from the shadows. She knocked the gun out of Yamanaka's hand and covered his mouth with her free hand. She angled the kodachi upwards from beneath his chin and smiled. "I'm an assassin, and you are my prey. Tsuyo kereba iki, Yowa kereba Shin. If you are strong, you live. If you are weak, you die. And you have proved to be the weaker." She thrust the kodachi upward, through his chin and into his brain.

Yamanaka Fujita died instantly.

Calmly, leisurely, as if she had all the time in the world, the assassin cleaned her kodachi on the dead man's sheets and sheathed the kodachi. Then she slowly walked to the bathroom and wiped the blood off her black leather pants and top and washed the blood from her hands and face. Then she walked through the mansion, killing the bodyguards as she passed. She walked down the three beautiful staircases and into the foyer and opened the massive oak double doors and stepped out of the mansion. She stepped over the corpses of the security guards and paused to pet several of the guard dogs and gave them treats. She walked across the sweeping lawn, and vaulted the high electric fence.

Once on the other side, she removed her Kodachis and slipped into the driver's seat of a stylish black Mercedes Benz and placed the two swords on the passenger seat. Studying herself in the rear view mirror, she took off her mask, revealing blue-black hair pulled into a bun flat against her scalp and cold but beautiful amber eyes. She smiled, and set her mask on the passenger seat beside her kodachis, then applied some lipstick, and drove off into the night.

The only sign of her presence on the Yamanaka Estate were the many corpses, and the note taped to the gate of the estate reading 'Aku Soku Zan' Slay Evil Immediately.

The entire job had only taken half an hour.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Heero Yuy couldn't help but be suspicious of the new girls, Tenou Kotori and Tenkou Sakura. He had seen in fencing and P.E. what they were capable of. The girls even took archery, martial arts, gymnastics, drama, conflict resolution, and dance.

Then there was the fact that Tenou Kotori had supposedly fallen ill the day before Yamanaka Fujita, the head of Yamanaka Corp. was assassinated. She had been even been sick the next day. Then she comes back, looking nothing like she had recently been ill.

The there was her friend, Tenkou Sakura, who supposedly skipped class to 'take care of her friend who was ill' when she could easily have taken the girl to the infirmary, then attended her classes.

He was even doing a search on them, and the info didn't seem to match.

Tenkou Sakura was said to have been moody and withdrawn, with a 336 IQ and a tendency to beat up people who invaded her personal space, namely those who came within two feet of her. Tenou Kotori was said to have a 336 IQ and was also withdrawn. She had a poker face that was impossible to break, talked only when absolutely necessary, and tended to beat people into a pulp if they approached her in the wrong way, which, when mixed with her volatile temper, often ended with the victim in the ICU. Both were brilliant girls, brilliant enough to be considered geniuses, both war orphans, and most importantly, both had personality and mental disorders. In other words, both girls were clinically insane.

The records in the computer did not match the personalities of the two girls in question. To Heero, that was a dead giveaway that the girls were not who they seemed, and were hiding something.

Now, the only question was who are the girls, really, and who do they work for.

Once he knew that, they would die.

He stretched and leaned back in his chair. New victims. Yes, life was good.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Kamui Gaia 07: Hey! I hope you're enjoying the story so far! Especially you, Mi-chan! You've been a very good friend, and a wonderful muse.

Tenkou Sakura: That sounded illegal.

Tenou Kotori: How did you make something so innocent illegal Kamui Gaia 07?

Kamui Gaia 07: (Shrugs) Dunno, just good at it, I guess. What do you think, Mi-chan?

Mitsuki Cosmos: They're right. It did sound illegal, and you're right. We got good at making the innocent things illegal and the illegal things innocent quite a while ago.

Kamui Gaia 07: Right after we finished watching Fruits Basket, I think.

Kamui Gaia 07 and Mitsuki Cosmos: (Gives thumbs up and smiles simultaneously) Yes!

Tenkou Sakura and Tenou Kotori: (Sweatdrops) …….

Kamui Gaia 07: As for the part where the assassin's all, "Tsuyo kereba iki, Yowa kereba Shin," I got that out of Rurouni Kenshin, Legend of Kyoto. It was so cool when Shishio Makoto said it, and I couldn't help putting it in. I think I'll make it (Bleep)'s catch phrase.

Mitsuki Cosmos: What was with the bleep, Gaia-chan? You didn't say something dirty, did you?

Kamui Gaia 07: No, of course not, Mi-chan. The bleep was to cover up the name of the one who will have "Tsuyo kereba iki, Yowa kereba Shin," as their catch phrase. I don't want to give their identity away.

Mitsuki Cosmos: Oh, I see. So the next time we see the phrase, and we know who's saying it…

Kamui Gaia 07: Then the phrase is that person's catch phrase. (Mutters under breath) You've **gotta** be stupid if you don't already know who it is. I mean puh-lease! I dropped more than enough hints throughout the entire chapter didn't I?

Mitsuki Cosmos: OOOOHHHHH! That is sooo cool!

Kamui Gaia 07: (Smugly with hands on hips) My thoughts exactly.

Kamui Gaia 07 and Mitsuki Cosmos: (Gives thumbs up and smiles simultaneously) Yes! (Turns to readers and pulls out the shinkens of the Chi no Ryu and the Ten no Ryu and give readers twin death glares.) We will Aku Soku Zan you if you don't review.


	8. Chapter 7: Mission GT Kamikaze Gboys

Ayashi no Yuugi

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.

**Chapter 7: Mission GT + G-Boys**

Duo's hands flew over the keys of his laptop, his normally cheery demeanor covered by a serious face. Wufei had come bursting into his room earlier yelling about his bright pink hair, a prank that had _not_ been his doing for once. Duo's only reply to Wufei's ranting was an uncharacteristic glare and a grunt, scaring the living daylights out of the pilot of the Gundam Nataku. Quatre, ever the peacemaker, had come in not too long afterwards to try to find out what was wrong to make the normally cheerful pilot do a very convincing impression of Heero Yuy and had left severely shaken by the Deathsythe Hell pilot's glare of annoyance.

His eyes scanned the report on the screen and his lips curled in disgust. After staying in his room and working on his laptop for the past fourteen hours, he'd hit another dead end. Duo got to his feet and slammed his fist on the table, stopping when his fist was an inch away from making impact. The table shuddered and a small crater appeared under his fist, a small cloud of dust rising.

"Dammit!" Duo snarled, "That Kamui! Where the hell is he hiding?"

Trowa, who had opened the door and was about to enter, quickly closed the door again, deciding that now wasn't a good time to disturb the American. Even if he had missed lunch and breakfast, and was about to miss dinner.

Little did the Heavyarms pilot know that the display he had seen was the true face behind Duo Maxwell. He had seen, not Duo Maxwell, but the Lord of the Underworld, Hades, better known as Shinigami, the God of Death.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

_Angel, Phoenix,_

_You're not going to like your new mission, but knowing the two of you, you'll complete it to my satisfaction._

_Your mission is to protect Relena Dorlian Peacecraft._

_The Officers of the Nautilus are getting wary, thanks to the efforts of Phoenix, and they are planning to move their plans forward. They will reveal themselves soon. Don't let the Gundam Pilots get ahead of you. _

_Now, about your mission to find Kamui…_

_Power draws power. Relena has the power to change the future. She can either live and prevent a war, or die and plunge the earth and her colonies into war. Kamui, being Kamui, will be near her. We must protect this planet at all costs._

_Madame S_

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

_01, 02, 03, 04, 05,_

_While you are on mission, Relena will be protected by 07 and 08 from GT Kamikaze. You will also be working together at times, so try not to kill each other._

_Dr. J_

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Kotori and Sakura exchanged tired looks and typed in two words "Mission Accepted."

"These Nautilus people are a lot smarter then they look," Sakura said tiredly, "Their plans are encrypted like there's no tomorrow."

"But they're also very arrogant," Kotori said, rubbing her temples. "They think that because the Gundam Pilots are busy cleaning up after Oz and the Mariemia incident, they won't get caught, so they spread their plans with codes that are so simple that the other Drs. Just ignore. They never took Madame S or her hidden GT into account."

"Wait," Sakura said suddenly, "What about school?"

"You've been excused from school for the rest of the month because of a major family emergency," a husky woman's voice said.

The two girls' head snapped in the direction of the speaker. "Madame S!" they cried.

Madame S smiled and said, "Hello girls. May I come in?"

"Of course," Sakura said as she set her laptop on the table and got to her feet, "Please, come in, Madame S."

"Would you like some tea?" Kotori asked.

"Of course," Madame S said. Kotori set her laptop on the table and entered the kitchen. Five minutes later, she came out with a pot of tea and three tea cups and as she began serving the tea, Madame S spoke.  
"Dr. J, the old snake, has given his G-boys the idea that you'll be protecting Relena Peacecraft while their on mission. You'll be giving them quite a shock when they see you protecting Relena while their current mission is to protect her. Don't get into any fights, and no matter what you do, don't kill them!"

Kotori rolled her eyes and said, "Considering 05's attitude toward women, I wouldn't be surprise if either Sakura or I inflicted bodily harm."

"Yeah," Sakura said tiredly, "Plus, Shinigami will be there. His mask is way too hentai for my taste. 01, 04 and 03 we can put up with. The others are bound to end up with bodily harm."

"Do what you will. The Pilots, however, had best be in good enough shape to take on missions, ladies," Madame S said, rubbing her temples as she stood up. "Oyasumi nasai," she added, as she opened the door.

"Oyasumi!" the girls chorused before breaking down in giggles.

Madame S smiled weakly and left.

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX

Kamui Gaia 07: This chapter is shorter than expected, but since Mitsuki Cosmos hit a dead end, and I have other fics to concentrate on, this isn't one of our best works. Ne, Mi-chan, isn't it your turn to talk to the readers?

Mitsuki Comos: (crosses arms over chest and nods) that's right, but we're trying our best right now, so please bear with us.

Kamui Gaia 07 and Mitsuki Cosmos: (In unison) Gomen Nasai! (Bows)

Translations:

Onna: (You had better know this one!) woman

Yamatte: that's enough

Hitokiri: Manslayer/Assassin

Ahou: moron

Chi no Ryu: Dragon of Earth

Kou Unmei: Red Destiny

Kamikaze: Divine Wind

Sakurazukamori: Guardian of the cherry blossom burial mound

Omnyouji: Spiritualist

Nan da yo: What do you want?

Shinigami: God of Death

Urusei: shut up

Ahou ga: you moron

Sakurazukanori: cherry blossom seaweed (Duo had a death wish when he said it. You _never ever_ tease Sakurazukamori)

Tsuyo kereba iki, Yowa kereba Shin: If you are strong, you live. If you are weak, you die.

Kodachi: short sword

Aku Zoku Zan: Slay evil immediately


	9. Chapter 8: Mission Within a Mission

Ayashi no Yuugi

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter 8: **Mission Within a Mission: X-500B**

Room D23, Girls Dormitory, Peacecraft Academy, Sanq Kingdom

April 8, 199 AC, 2:20 PM

Kotori and Sakura's faces were blank as they packed a suitcase each, an extra suit, extra underwear, trench coats, a pair of black pants and a tank top, nylons, socks, black leather dress shoes, a black evening gown for black tie occasions, some jewelry. Under the clothes were four guns, twenty small hand grenades about ten millimeters in diameter, eight daggers, sixteen cartridges, and five communicators and three detonators as well as nineteen attachable explosives each. They attached the CSA and Preventors identification tags onto the suitcases so they wouldn't get stopped for having weapons in their luggage.

The two girls then put on their sleek Armani suits (A/N: Similar to the ones Tomoyo's bodyguards wear in CCS), Sakura's in navy blue, and Kotori's in black. They wore matching high heels and grabbed their Gucci bags and slipped a gun and an extra cartridge inside as well as their wallet and CSA IDs. Sakura pulled her hair into a neat bun at the nape of her neck, leaving two locks, which she braided, to frame her face. Kotori pulled up her hair into a high ponytail and split it into seven braids, leaving two locks free to frame her hair.

They put on their Gucci sunglasses, pinned their Preventors IDs onto their jackets and slung their purses over one shoulder and picked up their suitcases and laptop cases. Kotori locked the door behind them and slipped the key into her purse and the two left, their heels clicking quietly on the pink granite floors.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Sanq Kingdom Shuttleport

April 10, 199 AC, 3:45 PM

Heero Yuy and the other Gundam Pilots stood in the Sanq Kingdom Shuttleport, awaiting the arrival of Relena's new bodyguards. Relena stood nearby, chatting to Dorothy Catalonia, Lady Une, and Mariemia while they waited for the arrival of Cosmos and Gaia from the GT Kamikaze. The frustrating thing was that due to engine problems, the shuttle had been delayed by an hour. (A/N: Some things never change! -)

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

An hour later, Gaia and Cosmos stepped into the Sanq Kingdom Shuttle port, carrying their suitcases. They studied the people from behind their Gucci sunglasses, their face blank of all emotion, their sharp eyes missing no details. Gaia was the first to see their target, Vice Foreign Minister, Relena Dorlian Peacecraft.

"Over there," Gaia said, her voice monotoned.

Cosmos turned and her sensuous lips turned up in a smirk. "She has her precious Gundam Pilots with her, and Dorothy Catalonia, Lady Une and little Mariemia Barton, too! How kawaii, ne?"

"Hnn," Gaia said, her eyes flickering over to Cosmos before moving back to the target. "Let's get this mission over with. The sooner we get away from Peacaecrap, the sooner we can get on with our other missions."

Cosmos nodded and the two girls made their way over to the group waiting for them at the other end of the shuttleport.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Heero Yuy's eyes narrowed fractionally when he saw the two dark haired women dressed in dark colors come toward them. The fact that he couldn't see their eyes set off alarm bells in his head. They came over and in perfect time, removed their shades.

The women had pale skin and elfin features, and their dark hair was pulled away from their face. The woman in black had silver eyes, an unusual color, and her eyes darted from the faces of the people around them before settling on Relena. The other woman was dressed in a navy blue suit and had amber eyes which were cool and calculating.

"You must be Relena," the woman in black said, her voice in monotone.

Relena smiled and said, "I am. You must be my new bodyguards."

"Indeed," the woman in black said, "Watishiwa Gaia."

The woman in navy blue nodded and said, "Watishiwa Cosmos, we will be your new bodyguards from this point on."

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Colony L4, ESUN Embassy

April 12, 199 AC, 1:55 PM

Cosmos and Gaia had accompanied Relena to the colony L4 for an important meeting. The bodyguards of the delegates were in the waiting room that was connected to the conference room. Subject Specimen 07 codenamed Cosmos and Subject Specimen 08 codenamed Gaia leaned against a pillar, Gaia facing the other body guards of the delegates currently in the conference room, Cosmos facing the intricately carved double mahogany doors. Neither woman were very comfortable, nor were any of the bodyguards and for good reason.

The entire conference room was soundproofed, the doors were a foot thick and cored with six inches of lead. The walls were two feet thick and cored with a foot of lead, the centimeter thick bulletproof windows were layered, four in all, and the oak shutters were three inches thick and cored with an inch of lead. If something were to happen inside, the delegates could scream all they wanted, and no one would hear them or realize that something was wrong until it was too late.

Cosmos leaned against the wall, her eyes half closed, one hand on the gun strapped to her waist. Gaia leaned against the wall beside her, the keys of her handheld computer clacking away as she typed. Cosmos kept an eye on the star shaped communicator around her neck and another eye on the bodyguards of the sixty ESUN delegates attending the conference. Gaia kept her eyes on the screen of her computer, but kept her acute senses on the alert. No one would move without either of the women knowing, and nothing would happen unless they allowed it.

Both women and the other bodyguards were very much bored. The delegates had been in the conference room for the past five hours, and the conference included a lunch.

So while several bodyguards had slipped away earlier to return with a sandwich and a soda, others went hungry. Gaia and Cosmos, being female versions of 'Subject Specimen 01' codenamed 'Heero Yuy', had done what the Perfect Soldier would have done in their place. They had eaten just before they had left the hotel with Relena, and if they felt any hunger from missing lunch at the moment, they showed no sign of it.

At precisely 3:36 PM, the heavy carved oak doors swung open, and the Delegates poured out, and their bodyguards surrounded them as they left the waiting room. Gaia and Cosmos flanked Relena the moment she set foot over the threshold and escorted her out of the building. No words were spoken until they were safely inside the pink limo that Relena had somehow gotten from earth to L4.

"How was the meeting, Miss Relena?" Cosmos asked, noting the Vice Foreign Minister's tired expression.

"Horrible," Relena said. She leaned back against the seat and continued, "We're trying to figure out what a military organization called the Nautilus wants and how to keep them from trying to start a war. As of now, all we have is the idea of broadcasting that any attacks would be dealt with via military retaliation."

"But if that happens, we'd have another war on our hands," Gaia said dryly.

"Precisely," Relena leaned her head against the headrest. She studied Gaia out of the corner of her eyes and said suddenly, "The two of you aren't at all happy about being my bodyguards are you?"

"It's more of a case of 'Subject Specimen 07 and 08 severely dislikes Relena Dorlian Peacecraft and her methods and would rather kill her than protect her but have absolutely no choice in the matter'," Cosmos said cheerfully.

Relena frowned. "You sound like the other Gundam Pilots."

"We _are_ Gundam Pilots," Gaia said.

"Then why weren't we aware of you?" Relena asked.

"We were given less visible missions than the others," Cosmos said, "and we didn't get our first real mission until during the…" She paused and looked at Gaia, "last two months of the Eve Wars?"

"Hnn."

Cosmos frowned. "You're starting to sound like Subject Specimen 01."

Gaia sent a withering glare in Cosmos's direction. "I do not."

Giggle, "Do too."

"Don't start. We're in the middle of a mission."

The rest of the trip to the hotel was continued in relative silence.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Kamui Gaia 07: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out! Mitsuki and I got a really bad case of writer's block!

Mitsuki Cosmos: Sorry for the shortness of the chapter. We wanted it to be longer, but couldn't think of anything.

: For people who hate Relena, Cosmos and Gaia were pretty civil, weren't they?

Mitsuki Cosmos: They either have very strong self control, or they're playing with her before killing her.

Kamui Gaia 07: I like to think that Gaia and Cosmos are just really twisted.

Mitsuki Cosmos: To make up for it, we won't ask for reviews, and we'll try to get another chapter out tonight.

Kamui Gaia 07 & Mitsuki Cosmos (Together): Ja!


	10. Chapter 9: Nautilus Strike Part I

Ayashi no Yuugi

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter 9: **Nautilus Strike Part I**

April 23 AC 198; 10:34 AM

CSA L4 Orbital Base, Futune, Central Command Center

"Reports are coming in from SS007! Nautilus base 20098 decimated, no military survivors, no civilian casualties!"

"Twenty hundred Nautilus uniforms have been reported in hotels in a two block radius of the Emperor Hotel!"

"Two hundred unidentified MS and MD lining up along the path of L4 shuttle 5983 to colony L2. Possible target, Vice Foreign Minister, Relena Dorlian Peacecraft, Princess of the Sanq Kingdom!"

A man with platinum blonde hair dressed in a black Admiral's uniform trimmed with gold with the letters CSA on his left sleeve in silver and a silver mask frowned.

"Intercept and trace any messages that heads for the MS."

"Shall we alert the Sanq Headquarters, sir?"

"Do so. And send a message to 07 and 08 while you're at it."

"Yessir!"

11:01 AM

CSA Sanq Kingdom Headquarters, Central Command Center

A woman with blue black hair dressed in a navy blue Lieutenant's uniform trimmed with purple with the letters CSA in gold on the left sleeve frowned as reports from various contacts and agents began coming in.

"We've lost contact with Team Trickster at point E3, B7!"

"Data from Ensign Calculus is coming in!"

"Blue Strike is bringing prisoner 28XD7! Requesting permission to interrogate prisoner using the Emerald Office!"

The woman nodded, "Use of the Emerald Office by Blue Strike, approved," she said.

"Blue Strike, request approved!"

"Repairs on Electromagnetic Cannon C42J6 in Sector D9 at 60 percent!"

"Battleship Ceres is sending mission log!"

"We've lost contact with Ensign Kino and Ensign Rene in Sector D8!"

"Unidentified MS units spotted surrounding Pallas Point!"

"Battleship Dean has been shot down!"

"Incoming message from Orbital Base Futune!"

12:00 PM

Colony L6, CSA Spica Academy Auditorium

A young woman dressed in white with green black hair with a badge on her left shoulder announcing her rank as a Lieutenant stood on the stage of the Spica Academy Auditorium, a file in her hands. Her garnet eyes studied the thousands of chattering students in their seats. A bell rang and the chatter died down.

"Now that we are all ready for class, please note that this assembly is of the utmost importance!" the woman said, her voice, magically amplified, echoed throughout the auditorium. The students automatically straightened in their seats.

"We have received reports from CSA bases throughout earth and her colonies, and have reason to believe that the enemy mission codenamed Nautilus Strike will take place at 1200 hours. The presumed target: Miss Relena Dorlian Peacecraft!"

Shocked whispers rippled through student and faculty alike. The woman cleared her throat and the room fell silent once more.

"It is possible that if the attack by the enemy is successful, there will be another war, many of you will graduate from Spica Academy as fully fledged Cosmos Star Agents, and you will find yourself thrown into the midst of war. For that reason, the required courses for one year will be expanded to include the current electives of logistics, tactics, strategy, MS Piloting, Law, and Computer Keyboarding. Physical Education will become a required course for all grade levels, even the students in the Graduate level. Instead of the Peacetime Curriculum of eight classes a day, five days a week, an hour per class, we are going into Wartime Curriculum with ten classes a day for six days a week, with one hour and forty-five minutes per class. It is your own choice if you want to take more classes on Sunday, though it is recommended that you do. Your Exams will be split into two parts, a written exam, and a practical exam to gauge how much you have absorbed, retained, and can perform to perfection or close enough. If you fail, you will retake the class the next year, and you will make up the classes you did not take in the Secondary Academy in a Graduate Academy. We are not trying to torture you; we are doing this for your own good, to prepare you for life in a war torn world. Are there any questions?"

A hand shot into the air and a female student dressed in the Spica Academy uniform of a red jacket over a white collared shirt and black pants and black boots with the Academy initials (SA) on the left shoulder stood up.

"Dean Yumi, will the Wartime Curriculum go into effect immediately even though we are halfway through the second semester?"

"No," the dean said, "This curriculum will not go into effect until the next year. Seniors, it is recommended that you attend a Graduate Academy and take courses in MS piloting, Computer Keyboarding, Law, Logistics, Tactics, and Strategy if you have not already done so. Juniors, Sophomores, and Freshmen, it is recommended that you attend the Sunday classes for the duration of your attendance of the Academy."

A male student stood and asked, "Are such measures being set in place for other CSA Training Facilities?"

"Yes. And I suggest that you do not try to transfer out. The process will take longer than it normally would, due to Wartime precautions, and if you do manage to get approved for the transfer; other Facilities will not be as gentle as Spica Academy. I can also assure you that other CSA Training Facilities are setting into place a similar curriculum. Keep in mind that the current Triad graduated from Spica Academy, and therefore, other CSA Training Academies will be expecting more from you if you transfer from our facility."

April 23 AC 198; 10:05 PM

Colony L4, Emperor Hotel

Gaia stood in the hotel room she shared with Cosmos, dressed in a black turtleneck, black jeans, black leather gloves, and a black leather jacket. She slipped on a silver mask, her hair in a bun pinned flat against her scalp, her eyes glowing a cold amber behind the silvery mask.

Wordlessly, Cosmos handed Gaia her kodachis and her guns and magazines as well as a handful of small hand grenades. Gaia strapped the kodachis to her back and stuck two of the guns into the holsters at her hips and put everything else into her pockets.

"Be careful, Tori-chan," Cosmos whispered. "Dean Yumi sent me an e-mail several hours ago. Nautilus Strike is scheduled to take place in one hour and fifty-five minutes, so come back soon. I can hold off the enemy for a while, but not for more than four hours while guarding someone at the same time."

Gaia's eyes warmed behind her mask.

"I'll be alright, Sakura-chan. I promise. I'll finish this mission as quickly as I can, and when I get back, we'll kick some Nautilus butt together, just like we always have."

"Hurry! The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll get back."

Gaia smirked. "So impatient, my kawaii chibi-kaijuu."

"Kaijuu janai yo!"

"Hai, hai kaijuu! Ja!"

Gaia laughed quietly as she ducked under Cosmos' swing and stepped out onto the balcony and leapt lightly over the rail. She descended six stories before hitting the ground in a tuck roll and taking off in a swift yet silent run across the hotel parking lot and vanished into the embrace of the night.

10:45 PM

Goro Residence, 361 Silver Ave. L4

Gaia was silent as she slipped through the mansion. Methodically, she went through the mansion, killing the guards, then targeted the Goro family quarters, killing every person, from the oldest elder to the youngest child.

Not one person felt a thing, nor did anyone wake long enough to see death flitting through the halls of the mansion. Her eyes were cold behind the mask, and her lips curled in a grim smile as she approached the bedroom of her main target.

Goro Fujita.

He had been a contact for the Nautilus for nearly ten years, and gained his wealth from it. According one of the CSA sources, he was the one responsible for leading Dekim Barton to the girl who was now Mariemia Barton… or Kushrenada, whichever one she was. Not that it really mattered, it was done, over, and minimal lives were lost.

Still, lives were lost. That was what mattered.

And now, more lives would be lost because of him. Communications had traced a message about Vice Foreign Minister Relena Dorlian Peacecraft's visit to L4 for a peace conference to the Nautilus HQ in Sanq here to L4. Goro had been foolish enough to use his house phone, making the discovery of his identity and his residence relatively easy.

Too bad.

His carelessness had just cost his family their lives.

Now Goro Fujita was going to pay with his life.

Gaia opened the door and peeked inside and grinned in anticipation. Lucky for her, the door opened in wards toward the room. She wiped the grin off her face and quietly closed the door and without hesitation, she kicked it in with a resounding crack.

Surprised, Goro Fujita jerked into a sitting position, looking blearily toward the door with sleep fogged eyes. In his state, he never notice the figure that detached itself from the shadows near the doorjamb and glided across the perimeter of the room, taking care to duck beneath the open window through with the silver rays of the moon poured, pooling in random patterns on the hardwood floor.

The Gaia stood up once she was beside the bed. Quickly, the blood soaked blade of her kodachi was at Goro Fujita's neck. The man's eyes widened and now fully awake, he turned to look at her, his eyes filled with fear.

"Don't speak. But tell me, are you frightened?" her voice was quiet but level.

Goro nodded, his eyes wide with fear.

A slow smile worked its way across Gaia's lips.

"Not enough it should seem, since you were so eager to start another war. Tell me, were you aware of the fact that the death of Relena Dorlian Peacecraft would start a war when you gave the Nautilus information about her trip to L4?"

Goro shook his head.

"Did you even stop to think about the consequences your action may have?"

Looking chagrined, Goro shook his head again.

"Baka. If you had withheld this information, maybe you'd be able to live in peace with your family, but now, no one from the Goro family will live, from the oldest elder to the youngest baby."

Goro's eyes widened further and he opened his mouth to plead for his family's life. Gaia never gave him the chance to speak. She clamped her hand over his mouth with a grip of steel and smirked cruelly.

"You were going to say something weren't you? You were going to beg for your family's life. It's too late, you know. If anyone in your house was alive, I wouldn't have been able to kick the door in, you know." Gaia's voice was overly sweet.

"You should have thought of the consequences before you tried anything, but it's too late now. Aku. Soku. Zan. Slay evil immediately. People like you who threaten the peace that so many people died to build are undoubtedly evil."

Pause.

"Sayonara, Goro Fujita."

Gaia slid her kodachi between his ribs and into his heart.

Goro Fujita died instantly.

Nose wrinkled in disgust, Gaia pulled the sword out, allowing the corpse to fall back onto the now bloody pillows. She quietly wiped the sword on the clean portion of the sheets and sheathed it. She walked over to the window and slid it open and leapt out onto the moon dappled lawn. Silently, she melded with the shadows and vanished.

The only evidence of her presence was the many corpses in the Goro family mansion and the note taped to the gate.

Aku Soku Zan.

Slay evil immediately.

The entire mission had taken less than fifty minutes.

April 24 AC 198; 12:00 AM

Emperor Hotel, Colony L4

Soldiers dressed in the uniforms of the Nautilus poured out of the hotels, armed and ready for battle. Quietly, they surrounded the Empire Hotel. Seventeen stood before the door of room 123, the room in which Relena Dorlian Peacecraft slept peacefully, unaware of the danger that she was in.

Suddenly, the door of room 126 flew open. A figure clothed in a navy blue suit and a black trench coat with a silver mask covering her eyes burst out, her waist length dark hair flowing behind her, a drawn katana in hand.

In less than two minutes, the Nautilus soldiers in the hallway were dead, and not a single sound had been heard.

Cosmos reached into her pocket and pulled out the keycard for Relena's room and stuck it into the slot. The red light turned green, and she slipped inside and woke Relena. They had just finished getting Relena dressed when the glass balcony doors shattered and dozens of Nautilus soldiers swarmed in.

Mission Nautilus Strike had begun.


	11. Chapter 10: Nautilus Strike Part II

Ayashi no Yuugi

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter 10: **Nautilus Strike Part II**

**Previously, on Ayashi no Yuugi…**

April 23 AC 198; 10:34 AM

CSA L4 Orbital Base, Futune, Central Command Center

"Twenty hundred Nautilus uniforms have been reported in hotels in a two block radius of the Emperor Hotel!"

"Two hundred unidentified MS and MD lining up along the path of L4 shuttle 5983 to colony L2. Possible target, Vice Foreign Minister, Relena Dorlian Peacecraft, Princess of the Sanq Kingdom!"

11:01 AM

CSA Sanq Kingdom Headquarters, Central Command Center

A woman… dressed in a navy blue Lieutenant's uniform … frowned as reports from various contacts and agents began coming in.

"Data from Ensign Calculus is coming in!"

"Blue Strike is bringing prisoner 28XD7! Requesting permission to interrogate prisoner using the Emerald Office!"

…"Use of the Emerald Office by Blue Strike, approved," she said.

"Blue Strike, request approved!"

"Incoming message from Orbital Base Futune!"

12:00 PM

Colony L6, CSA Spica Academy Auditorium

"We have received reports from CSA bases throughout earth and her colonies, and have reason to believe that the enemy mission codenamed Nautilus Strike will take place at 1200 hours. The presumed target: Miss Relena Dorlian Peacecraft!"

…"It is possible that if the attack by the enemy is successful, there will be another war, many of you will graduate from Spica Academy as fully fledged Cosmos Star Agents, and you will find yourself thrown into the midst of war. …we are doing this for your own good, to prepare you for life in a war torn world…"

April 23 AC 198; 10:05 PM

Colony L4, Emperor Hotel

Gaia stood in the hotel room she shared with Cosmos …her hair in a bun pinned flat against her scalp, her eyes glowing… behind the silvery mask.

…Cosmos whispered. "…Nautilus Strike is scheduled to take place in one hour and fifty-five minutes..."

"Hurry! The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll get back."

"Hai, hai…!"

Gaia … leapt lightly over the rail. She descended six stories before… taking off in a swift yet silent run… and vanished into the embrace of the night.

10:45 PM

Goro Residence, 361 Silver Ave. L4

Gaia… went through the mansion, killing the guards, then targeted the Goro family quarters, killing every person, from the oldest elder to the youngest child.

Her eyes were cold… as she approached the bedroom of her main target.

… "You should have thought of the consequences before you tried anything, but it's too late now. Aku. Soku. Zan. Slay evil immediately. People like you who threaten the peace that so many people died to build are undoubtedly evil."

Pause.

"Sayonara, Goro Fujita."

Gaia slid her kodachi between his ribs and into his heart.

April 24 AC 198; 12:00 AM

Emperor Hotel, Colony L4

Soldiers dressed in the uniforms of the Nautilus… surrounded the Empire Hotel. Seventeen stood before the door of room 123, the room in which Relena Dorlian Peacecraft slept peacefully…

…the door of room 126 flew open. A figure… with a silver mask covering her eyes burst out… a drawn katana in hand.

In less than two minutes, the Nautilus soldiers in the hallway were dead…

They had just finished getting Relena dressed when the glass balcony doors shattered and dozens of Nautilus soldiers swarmed in.

Mission Nautilus Strike had begun.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

April 24 AC 198; 12:15 AM

Emperor Hotel, Colony L4

Cosmos had shoved Relena into the closet, and was fighting furiously to protect the Princess of Sanq. Mentally however, she was cursing her partner for taking so long with her assignment, though Cosmos knew that killing every human in a mansion would take time. All she could do now was fight, for her life as well as Relena's.

Suddenly the wall blasted apart and a familiar figure dressed in black wearing a silvery mask entered. Cold amber eyes narrowed behind the mask.

"What is going on here?" Gaia asked in an icy monotone.

All movement in the room ceased.

"You're fifteen minutes late!" Cosmos yelled.

"I can see that," Gaia's voice was harsh.

Pause.

"NOW WILL SOMEBODY TELL ME JUST WHAT THE FRIGGIN HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" she suddenly bellowed, making everyone in the room, except Cosmos, jump in surprise.

She glared at the Nautilus soldiers and with a flick of her wrist, several grenades flew forward, and with a small 'pop' there was a flash of cerulean light, and the only thing left of the Nautilus soldiers in the room were bits and pieces of flesh and bone and melted twisted hunks of metal that were their equipment with a limb or a corpse or two or three lying around in large pools of blood.

Cosmos nearly burst out laughing at the shocked looks of the other Nautilus soldiers as they looked in to see the remains of their companions.

"I kept my promise," Gaia said coolly. "Now it's time for you to keep yours, Cosmos."

Cosmos suddenly grinned maniacally, an expression that rarely appeared on her face outside of the cockpit of her MS. "Yes. Lets."

The two girls leapt into action, and for a long while, there were only the sounds of yells of fear and gunfire. There was the scuffling of booted feet and the harsh cracking sound of necks snapping and the sound of metal cutting into flesh and bone. Nearly three hours later, Gaia and Cosmos returned into Relena's rooms, covered in the blood of the enemy.

"Pack," Gaia snapped. "We're leaving." And she left.

Cosmos stood guard as Relena quickly packed her things. Gaia returned with the two suitcases which belonged to herself and Cosmos just as Relena placed her last suit into her own suitcase. Gaia handed Cosmos her suitcase while Relena snapped her luggage shut and locked it.

"Are you ready?"

Relena nodded.

"Let's go."

The three women left the hotel. Gaia and Cosmos seemed not to notice the dead piled everywhere or the overpowering smell of blood. Relena ended up grasping for every last shard of her self control to keep from retching at the sight of the carnage and the coppery smell of blood. She couldn't help but shudder.

The three women vanished into the night.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

4:05 AM

L4 Shuttle 5983 to Colony L2

Relena sat between her bodyguards apprehensively. The events of the previous night proved them to be deadly beyond comprehension, efficient yet horrifyingly brutal.

Gaia studied her charge from behind the screen of her laptop. Despite her dislike for the girl, Gaia couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity. It was obvious that the scene from earlier that day had been too much for the young princess, and she was exhausted. She reached over and touched Relena's shoulder gently.

Relena turned to her, her eyes showing her exhaustion. "Yes?"

"Are you alright?" Gaia asked gruffly.

"Fine."

"Get some rest then," Gaia's voice was bland. "We'll be on the shuttle for the next six hours. After last night, I'm sure you could use the sleep."

Relena nodded and leaned back against the chair and closed her eyes.

Gaia looked up and caught Cosmos's eyes and nodded. Cosmos inclined her head slightly in acknowledgement.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

4:10 AM

Colony L2 CSA Orbital Base, Gosroth, Central Command Center

A woman with sandy blonde hair dressed in an Admiral's uniform stood behind the console as the officers under her command worked the computer. Her posture was relaxed, but her blue eyes betrayed her weary tenseness as the reports continued to pour in unceasingly.

One report in particular caught her attention.

"Report from Subject Specimen 07 Cosmos and Subject Specimen 08 Gaia!"

"Well?"

"Phase one of Nautilus Strike has been successfully countered. The Dove is unharmed and on her way to L2. Anticipating Phase two."

The woman nodded and opened her mouth to order a reply but was interrupted.

"Enemy MS are coming to life! They are taking on an attack formation!"

"MS Team Dark reports that more enemy MS are approaching the target!"

The Admiral's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Contact Battleship Goldstreak! Order her to D5, H6!"


	12. Chapter 11: Nautilus Strike Part III

Ayashi no Yuugi

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter 11: **Nautilus Strike Part III**

**Serenity Maxwell: **All will be made known in due time. As for when we see Shinigami again, all I can tell you is that he and the other G-boys will make a brief appearance in the Nautilus Strike portion of the story. I can't say where and when though. It would ruin the story for you, and we wouldn't want that, now would we?

**Previously, on Ayashi no Yuugi…**

April 23 AC 198; 10:34 AM

CSA L4 Orbital Base, Futune, Central Command Center

"Twenty hundred Nautilus uniforms have been reported in hotels in a two block radius of the Emperor Hotel!"

"Two hundred unidentified MS and MD lining up along the path of L4 shuttle 5983 to colony L2. Possible target, Vice Foreign Minister, Relena Dorlian Peacecraft, Princess of the Sanq Kingdom!"

11:01 AM

CSA Sanq Kingdom Headquarters, Central Command Center

A woman… dressed in a navy blue Lieutenant's uniform … frowned as reports from various contacts and agents began coming in.

"Incoming message from Orbital Base Futune!"

12:00 PM

Colony L6, CSA Spica Academy Auditorium

"…the enemy mission codenamed Nautilus Strike will take place at 1200 hours. The presumed target: Miss Relena Dorlian Peacecraft!"

…"…you will graduate from Spica Academy as fully fledged Cosmos Star Agents, and you will find yourself thrown into the midst of war. …we are doing this… to prepare you for life in a war torn world…"

April 23 AC 198; 10:05 PM

Colony L4, Emperor Hotel

Gaia stood in the hotel room she shared with Cosmos …her hair in a bun pinned flat against her scalp, her eyes glowing… behind the silvery mask.

…Cosmos whispered. "…Nautilus Strike is scheduled to take place in one hour and fifty-five minutes..."

"Hurry!..."

"Hai…!"

Gaia … leapt lightly over the rail… and vanished into the embrace of the night.

10:45 PM

Goro Residence, 361 Silver Ave. L4

Gaia… targeted the Goro family quarters, killing every person…

Her eyes were cold… as she approached the bedroom of her main target.

… "You should have thought of the consequences before you tried anything, but it's too late now…"

Pause.

"Sayonara, Goro Fujita."

Gaia slid her kodachi between his ribs and into his heart.

April 24 AC 198; 12:00 AM

Emperor Hotel, Colony L4

Soldiers dressed in the uniforms of the Nautilus… stood before the door of room 123, the room in which Relena Dorlian Peacecraft slept peacefully…

…A figure… with a silver mask covering her eyes burst out… a drawn katana in hand.

In …two minutes, the Nautilus soldiers … were dead…

… the glass balcony doors shattered and dozens of Nautilus soldiers swarmed in.

Mission Nautilus Strike had begun.

April 24 AC 198; 12:15 AM

Emperor Hotel, Colony L4

Cosmos … was cursing her partner for taking so long with her assignment…

…the wall blasted apart and a … figure dressed in black wearing a silvery mask entered.

"What is going on here?" Gaia asked…

All movement in the room ceased.

…with a flick of her wrist, several grenades flew forward… and the only thing left of the Nautilus soldiers in the room were bits and pieces of flesh and bone and… a corpse or two or three lying around in large pools of blood.

"Pack," Gaia snapped. "We're leaving."

The … women vanished into the night.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

4:05 AM

L4 Shuttle 5983 to Colony L2

Relena sat between her bodyguards apprehensively. The events of the previous night proved them to be deadly beyond comprehension, efficient yet horrifyingly brutal.

Gaia studied her charge from behind the screen of her laptop.

…"Get some rest …," Gaia's voice was bland. "…you could use the sleep."

Relena …closed her eyes.

4:10 AM

Colony L2 CSA Orbital Base, Gosroth, Central Command Center

… "Report from Subject Specimen 07 Cosmos and Subject Specimen 08 Gaia!"

"Phase one of Nautilus Strike has been successfully countered. The Dove is unharmed and on her way to L2. Anticipating Phase two."

"Enemy MS are coming to life! They are taking on an attack formation!"

"MS Team Dark reports that more enemy MS are approaching the target!"

"Contact Battleship Goldstreak! Order her to D5, H6!"

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

_Subject Specimen 02 Shinigami_

_Enemy Mission codename Nautilus Strike is currently in progress._

_Subject Specimen 07 Cosmos and 08 Gaia have successfully repelled phase one, the terren attack, of the Nautilus Strike. Phase two is predicted to be a space attack, as numerous MS are lined up along the path of the colony L4 shuttle 5983 to colony L2. As 07 and 08 are on said shuttle guarding the Vice Foreign Minister, they will be unable to use their Gundams to repel the second attack._

_Your mission is to lead the original Gundam Team, trained by Dr. J, to intercept the enemy MS and guard the shuttle._

_The coordinates are Gamma 24, Beta 34, Alpha 3, Omega 17, Sector G, point D4, C6. _

_Subject Specimen 09 Omnyouji and 10 Sakurazukamori have been alerted. They are assigned elsewhere, and it is doubtful that they will reach the coordinates in time to prevent the attack._

_CSA Admiral Kaze will accompany you with his Tallgeese._

_CSA Battleship, First Class, Level 12, Goldstreak will be in attendance should you require extra assistance._

_Do not call on Goldstreak unless in an extreme emergency._

_Dr J's pilot 01 will receive a similar email containing needed information. He will alert the other pilots of the mission._

_You depart at once._

_Mission accepted or decline?_

_Madame S_

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

_Madame S._

_Mission Accepted._

_Subject Specimen 02 Shinigami_

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

_Admiral Kaze, Commander of CSA L4 Orbital Base, Futune_

_Subject Specimen 07 and 08 have successfully repelled Phase one, the terren attack, of the Nautilus Strike. As you already know, Phase Two is believed to be a space attack. 07 and 08 cannot access their Gundams as they are onboard the shuttle as the Vice Foreign Minister's bodyguards. Subject Specimen 09 and 10 are on their way to intercept the enemy MS, but it is doubtful that they will arrive on time._

_You will join Subject Specimen 02 and the original GT trained by Dr. J to guard said shuttle with your Gundam Tallgeese._

_Mission accepted or decline?_

_Madame S_

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

_Madame S_

_Mission Accepted_

_Admiral Kaze, Commander of CSA L4 Orbital Base, Futune_

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

_01_

_Numerous unidentified MS have been detected lining up along the path of the L4 shuttle headed for L2, on which Relena Dorlian Peacecraft is a passenger. As 07 and 08 of GT Kamikaze are guarding the Vice Foreign Minister, they cannot access their Gundams. 09 and 10 of GT Kamikaze are assigned elsewhere and have been alerted, though it is doubtful that they will arrive in time._

_All remaining Gundams are to be deployed for the following coordinates to protect the shuttle at once._

_06 will be joining you._

_02 will take command of this mission._

_Accept or decline?_

_J_

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

_Dr. J_

_Mission Accepted_

_01_

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

April 24 AC 198; 5:05 AM

Colony L4, Winner Mansion

"Injustice!" Wufei yelled after Heero finished debriefing the pilots on their latest mission. "Why would J give the baka command over the mission? He didn't even listen to your debriefing. He-"

"He was debriefed by Madame S, the trainer of GT Kamikaze."

The pilots (excluding Heero who just raised an eyebrow) jumped the iciness of Duo's voice. They turned and stared (or glared in Heero's case) at the Deathsythe pilot, who was wearing a lightweight red spacesuit with a light but strong grey plastic chest and shoulder guard, reinforced by a thin layer of steel in the core. The number 02 was on the shoulder of his right arm in black. Under his left arm was a red padded helmet to go with the suit. Two guns were in their holsters strapped to his waist, and a knife was sheathed in the small of his back. His normally cheery cobalt eyes had changed to an icy, flat, and uncompromising shade of violet. His pale face, normally shifting to show his emotions was blank.

"Let's go," Duo said in the same icy and emotionless voice.

The other pilots stared at the Deathsythe pilot as he walked out of the room toward the hanger, shocked by the sudden change in his demeanor.

There was a click of a safety being turned off and Duo stopped in his tracks.

"Omae o kuroso."

Duo turned, his face blank, and raised an eyebrow.

"Who are you and who do you work for?"

Duo's face never changed. "That is classified information."

"Who are you and who do you work for?"

"That is classified information unless proper authorities approve request for said information."

Heero's laptop bleeped and Dr J's face appeared on the screen. _"Subject Specimen 02. Basic Information release to Gundam Pilots 01, 03, 04, and 05 authorized by Madame S, Professor G, and Dr. J."_

The screen went blank.

"Acknowledged." Duo said, his eyes dulling into black. "Experiment Z68GX230, Subject Specimen 02, Shinigami, codename Duo Maxwell, colleague of Gundam Pilots 01, 03, 04, and 05," Duo's voice became flat and impersonal. "Startup Date: December 12, 182 AC. Purpose: Pilot of Gundam Deathsythe. Emergency Startup precautions: SS02. Emergency shutdown precautions: Maxwell Church Tragedy. Scheduled Termination Date: November 25, 208 AC. Additional information: Classified."

Duo's eyes returned to normal and he said, "Let's go. We have a mission to take care of." And he turned and walked off.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

**Mitsuki Cosmos: **Shinigami has a termination date? Not even _Heero _has a termination date! You didn't consult me about this!

**Kamui Gaia 07: **Sorry, Mi-chan, but the termination date was a spur of the moment type of thing. Besides, I didn't just throw that in there just for fun. The termination date is a foreshadowing of when the main body of GT Kamikaze, namely Subject Specimen 02, 07, 08, 09, and 10 leave the GW dimension for another mission, but that'll be an entirely different fic altogether.

**Mitsuki Cosmos: **I see. Just consult me about things like that before just throwing them in. Anyway, the 'Nautilus Strike' arc was originally planned to be one chapter, but then it just got way too long, so we decided to split it into two different chapters.

**Kamui Gaia 07: **But even _that_ was too long! Therefore, we split it into a bunch of chapters at least five pages long each.

**Cosmos: **Please review, onegai!


	13. Chapter 12: Nautilus Strike Part IV

Ayashi no Yuugi

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter 12: **Nautilus Strike Part IV**

**KamuiGaia07: **Erm… I'm a bit confused… what should I rate this chapter? There's a bit of strong language being used here…

Anyway, I'm sorry for the delay! I've been a bit busy…

Anyway, I've been getting all these invites for all these colleges, and I don't even know about two thirds of them. I suppose it's to be expected, since I will officially be a senior once the school year starts. Man, time flies, doesn't it? It feels like only yesterday that I saw my high school for the first time…

Anyway, I suppose that it's officially time for me to start thinking what college I want to go to, isn't it? Gods… I don't even know what college I want to go to. I mean, I wanna go to CalState before transferring to USC or a UC, but I'm not even sure if I'll get accepted… In fact, I should start looking for scholarships right now, too… Oh, boy… the amount of stuff I gotta do is overwhelming. I'm really nervous, and its not even September yet! But it will be, and it'll come much too soon. Oh, God, I'm so dead… Will I even graduate? Will I get into the college I want? Will I this, will I that? There are so many will I's and what if's that my head is spinning!

**Previously, on Ayashi no Yuugi…**

April 23 AC 198; 10:34 AM

CSA L4 Orbital Base, Futune, Central Command Center

"Twenty hundred Nautilus uniforms have been reported in hotels in a two block radius of the Emperor Hotel!"

"Two hundred unidentified MS and MD lining up along the path of L4 shuttle 5983 to colony L2. Possible target, Vice Foreign Minister, Relena Dorlian Peacecraft, Princess of the Sanq Kingdom!"

12:00 PM

Colony L6, CSA Spica Academy Auditorium

"…the enemy mission codenamed Nautilus Strike will take place at 1200 hours. The presumed target: Miss Relena Dorlian Peacecraft!"

…"…you will graduate from Spica Academy as fully fledged Cosmos Star Agents, and you will find yourself thrown into the midst of war. …we are … to prepare you for life in a war torn world…"

April 24 AC 198; 12:00 AM

Emperor Hotel, Colony L4

Soldiers dressed in the uniforms of the Nautilus…

…swarmed in.

Mission Nautilus Strike had begun.

…the wall blasted apart and a … figure dressed in black wearing a silvery mask entered.

…several grenades flew forward… and the only thing left of the Nautilus soldiers in the room were bits and pieces of flesh and bone and… a corpse or two or three lying around in large pools of blood.

4:10 AM

Colony L2 CSA Orbital Base, Gosroth, Central Command Center

"Enemy MS are coming to life! They are taking on an attack formation!"

"MS Team Dark reports that more enemy MS are approaching the target!"

"Contact Battleship Goldstreak! Order her to D5, H6!"

April 24 AC 198; 5:05 AM

Colony L4, Winner Mansion

…"Why would J give the baka command over the mission? He didn't even listen to your debriefing. He-"

"He was debriefed by Madame S, the trainer of GT Kamikaze."

…the Deathsythe pilot, who was wearing a lightweight red spacesuit with a light but strong grey plastic chest and shoulder guard, reinforced by a thin layer of steel in the core. The number 02 was on the shoulder of his right arm in black. Under his left arm was a red padded helmet to go with the suit.

"Let's go," Duo said …

"Who are you and who do you work for?"

"Experiment Z68GX230, Subject Specimen 02, Shinigami, codename Duo Maxwell, colleague of Gundam Pilots 01, 03, 04, and 05,"… "Startup Date: December 12, 182 AC. Purpose: Pilot of Gundam Deathsythe. … Additional information: Classified."

Duo…said, "Let's go. We have a mission to take care of." And he turned and walked off.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Gaia stared unseeingly out the shuttle window, her eyes glazed over. Cosmos sat primly in her seat, reading an e-book on her handheld computer. Relena was sitting between them, and was going over budget reports for the maintenance of the Peacecraft Palace.

Suddenly, the shuttle gave a great lurch and Gaia and Cosmos were on their feet almost instantly. Gaia's eyes focused on the hundreds of MS outside the shuttle.

A loud and angry, "K'so!" came after a few seconds of horrified silence, followed by a multilingual stream of explicatives that would have made a sailor blush.

Cosmos leaned over and stared out the window and uttered a long stream of multilingual explicatives to make Gaia proud. She straightened and slid into the aisle while Gaia grabbed Relena, and they dragged her out of the passenger wing. Gaia pulled out her gun and quickly made sure that the magazine was full and that the safety was off. She reached into her pocket and drew out an earpiece and slipped it on, making sure to check that the communicator was still in full working order before switching it on.

Cosmos took the time to pull out her gun and check it over as well while Gaia checked the other communicator and checking it. Once Cosmos placed the gun in its holster at her waist where she could reach it easily and quickly, Gaia handed her the earpiece which she slid on before the two grabbed a hold of Relena and dragged her off toward the bridge.

They barely gave Relena time to grab her purse.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

All Quatre could think of on the flight toward the coordinates given were Duo's cryptic words, the way the had referred to himself as subject specimen 02, an experiment, a machine designed and programmed to kill with a termination date. Hell, not even Heero had a termination date, and he was Dr. J's Perfect Soldier!

"Erm… Duo?" Quatre said quietly into the communicator.

Duo's face instantly appeared in the monitor, looking harsh and fierce behind the tinted plastic of the helmet. "What is it, Winner?" Duo said dully, his voice flat.

Quatre flinched. This was just wrong. This was Duo! Duo _never_ called anyone by their last name unless he was seriously ticked off or seriously distracted.

"Are you alright, Duo?" Quatre asked nervously. "You're not acting like yourself."

Duo's eyes and voice became gentler at that. "It's nothing, Quatre. I'm just worried, that's all. This is a big thing that we've gotten caught up in, and none of us have any idea what to do about it."

"Oh," Quatre relaxed. "Can I ask a question?"

Duo grinned. "You already have, Q-ball. But go ahead, ask away. I won't lie to you though; I can't guarantee that I'll be at liberty to answer the question."

"Well… Earlier, you referred to your self as experiment Z68GX230…"

"You want to know why?" Duo chuckled. "I just wanted to see your reactions, so I just threw that in there."

Quatre blinked and fought the urge to facefault onto the console. "You what?"

Duo rubbed the back of his head and laughed nervously. "I was joking. If I offended you in any way, can I just say I'm sorry?"

"Duo…" Quatre muttered, "You will tell the others, right?"

Duo grinned. "Nope."

"One last question."

"Ask away, Q-ball!"

"Can you tell me why the hell you have a TERMINATION DATE?"

Duo's grin widens. "Because I'll be joining Gundam Team Kamikaze on what is classified as a 'No Return Mission' after that date."

"**YOU WILL BE WHAT?**"

"Heh." Duo glanced at the monitor. "Oh, look! We're here." He froze, staring at the monitor.

"Duo?" Quatre said worriedly.

Two nonseconds later, Duo swore wonderfully as hundreds of MS converged on the shuttle. Quickly, his hands flew over the keyboard, and flipped the necessary switches and each monitor came to life to show each Gundam Pilot.

"Yuy, Chang, Barton, form a point triangle. Winner, guard the shuttle, we can't let them get Relena. Don't lose sight of each other and keep close enough that we can keep an eye on each other's back."

The other four Gundam Pilots nodded and took their positions ad began blasting, cutting, and ripping apart the enemy MS.

Duo flipped a few more switches and two monitors went blank while the other monitors changed frequencies to show two black haired men. "09, 10, how long before you arrive?" Duo snapped.

"We should be there in ten minutes, 02," the man with green eyes answered.

"Hang in there, Shinigami," the man with a gold eye and a white eye said. "We'll be there soon."

"Hurry up, the enemy's begun the attack, and more are coming by the second."

"Acknowledged," the two men said, and the screens went blank.

Duo flipped a few more switches and snarled into the link, "Kaze, status!"

"I'll arrive in two minutes, Shinn," a male voice answered, his voice sounding strained over the com-link.

Duo glared at the enemy as he intercepted a suit that was on a kamikaze run toward the shuttle. He darted in front of it, blowing it to smithereens before the pilot had a chance to react. "Bring it on, assholes!" He yelled to the looming wave of MS and MD, as Quatre maneuvered to the other side of the shuttle.  
The enemy was only too happy to comply.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

So what do you do when you're a soldier, there's a battle going on all around you and you're itching to join in but can't since you're busy trying to keep an annoying princess of Sanq (with an obsession over Heero Yuy) alive? Curse her to death mentally so you get the pleasure of imagining all the horrible things you will do to the pacifist Princess and at the same time making sure that you won't injure her precious little ears of course. That was precisely what Cosmos was doing as she dragged Relena out of the passenger wing, followed closely by Gaia, whose eyes were now an icy shade of amber.

As the only two female Gundam Pilots in existence, Gaia and Cosmos had gone through a lot, not to mention that they had fought in the Wars, destroyed the monsters that tended to pop up in the Sanq and Tokyo areas, saved the asses of the Gundam Pilots, Infiltrated Oz and the Romefeller Foundation, weakened their base, and overall, made it possible for the Gundam Pilots to successfully bring an end to the Wars, had been ignored, and had died a total of four times each in the previous year. Six in the past two years. But of course, they had always been revived by their friends, and they always came out alright after Duo, Subaru, or Seishiro had gotten them breathing again.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Heero frowned, dodging a mobile doll as he ran it through with his beam saber. They were much faster than the usual type. He wondered what new training the pilots had been subjected to.

Then, "Yui!"  
Heero was already on it, swinging his saber up and dodging to the side as the two remaining halves of the other mobile doll collided with one of its friends.  
"No, behi-"  
Heero swung around, right in time to see it cut down very quickly and efficiently.  
"Really Yui, you forgot me. I'm so hurt." Milliardo commented dryly. Heero and the other pilots compensated, quickly forming a square around the shuttle.

And the dolls kept coming. They were like a swarm of bees literally rolling forward.

"I saw about twenty Tauruses around here somewhere." Milliardo reported quietly to him on a private channel. "But apart from that, I don't think there's any real variety of units. They just got the most convenient. Fairly fast, though."  
"Mm." Heero agreed, swerving aside.  
"Well," Trowa pointed out. "They don't seem too hard. I don't think we have to worry."  
"Speak for youself, Trowa," Quatre's worried voice said over the speakers. "My scanners are picking up at least three hundred, with even more coming. And its Duo and I they're focusing on!"  
"And they won't give up." Duo's voice was flat. "But if they want to be suicidal idiots, that's their problem. Kaze, issue a Condition Blue to Gaia and Cosmos over the link Madame S gave you."

The pilots were a bit confused as to who Duo was talking too, until a sharp, "Ryoukai," from Milliardo answered the question.

Of all of them, it seemed Duo was receiving the most attention from the dolls. Glancing over, Heero saw why. Duo was preventing the enemy from making direct hits to the passenger side of the shuttle. It seemed they were quite singular about their target.  
Relena.  
"Duo, are you alright?" He asked, turning back to his own foes.  
"Fine," Duo said grimly.  
He was matching his own foes speed for speed, cutting them down as quickly as they came and getting as much advantage out of his long range weapon as he could, and he was doing an impressive job.  
Trowa was making use of his well-known artillery, blowing up dozens of dolls with carefully planted missiles. Not one had gotten close to him yet. Heero figured he could handle himself.  
Quatre, not having as much an advantage of long distance combat as either of them, was doing a good job, and holding his own with little difficulty, despite the numbers.  
Wufei was locked in single combat with one of the dolls, blade for blade. The other pilot was quite crafty, using every known trick in the book, and a few unknown ones, to get Wufei off-balance and at disadvantage. So far none had worked, but he had to give the pilot credit. Heero focused on his own targets, keeping an eye on Wufei.  
Block, parry, block, parry. Wufei scowled at the opponent before him. They seemed to prefer swordsmanship to the usual battle style, which put him off a bit, but he was up to the task. The MD and MS around them avoided the battle entirely, indicating the doll was probably the leader. That was fine with Wufei. All the more reason to destroy it. He met the opponents blade once more and felt himself pushed back, before sliding the blade aside. The mobile doll took advantage of his openness and raised it's blade for an overhead slice.  
Leaving it's torso entirely unguarded.  
Which was what Wufei was waiting for. He thrust forward, neatly slicing his sword horizontally through the torso of his opponent with a yell of victory.  
"You are down." he declared with satisfaction, before turning to the other dolls, only to find they had all stopped. Then, just as suddenly, they scattered.  
"Huh?" What the hell? Had he just started something?  
"Chang. Have your dolls stopped attacking?" Heero asked.  
"Actually, yes."  
Duo frowned as his sensors picked up something. He typed in a command and his eyes widened in shock. He flipped on the vid-link and snapped, "On second thought, Kaze, make it a Condition Red. There are over twenty Tauruses coming from E6, G7, Delta, and they've got four positron cannons with them."

"What!" Milliardo's yelp of shock came clearly over each pilots' com-link. "Where'd the Nautilus get schematics for the Positron Cannons?"

"Do you remember the Amelia virus Gaia found in the Lunar Console the other day?" Duo asked grimly. Milliardo nodded. "That's how."

Milliardo's eyes widened and he snarled a curse and his hands flew over the keyboard of his gundam's console. The other Pilots were quite curious as to what was going on between the Tallgeese and Deathsythe Pilots, but decided that it was currently not the time to question them.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Two halls away from the bridge, Gaia's hand moved to the communicator in her ear and listened to the speaker on the other end. Her hand dropped away, and her eyes narrowed as she snarled three words, "Konoyaro no baka!"

Cosmos looked over and whispered, "Nani?"

"Remember Kaze's issuing a Condition Blue ten minutes ago?" Cosmos nodded. "Well, it's now a Condition Red. It seems that we didn't remove the Amelia virus fast enough, since we have twenty Tuaruses carrying four positron cannons coming this way."

"Shimatta!" Cosmos spat, and dragged Relena away faster. "We have to get the Pacifist Princess off the ship and out of range of any free floating positron particles and fast!"

"The range would be at least seventeen feet. I hope Kaze and Shinn remembered to charge their positron deflector, because I am so not taking responsibility for their deaths or the deaths of any Gundam Pilots," Gaia snapped.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

The com-link bleeped and Duo switched it on. "I hope you charged the Positron deflector, Shinn!" Cosmos' voice said.

"I'm doing my best!" Duo snapped. He flipped a switch and snarled, "09, 10, where in seven hells are you?"

"There are a group of twenty white Leos and thirty Aries nearly ten kilometers behind you!" Seishiro's voice was rather strained, "Six Leos have electron cannons, and the rest of the Leos are carrying beam rifles. Seven Aries are carrying electron shields, six have the standard energy shields, and the others are carrying, you won't believe it, nuclear warheads!"

"We're trying to keep them off your backs," Subaru said, his voice strained, "We didn't get here in time to stop the Tauruses with the positron cannons to get through, but even if we had, you, Kaze, Gaia and Cosmos are the ones with the positron deflectors. All Seishiro and I have are the electron cannons and shields, and those don't exactly make much difference where positron beams are concerned."

"Four positron cannons, seven electron shields, and twenty electron cannons," Milliardo growled, "It looks like that damned virus sent out more than we originally thought."

"Nuclear weapons and energy shields," Duo said, his voice flat, icy, and emotionless. "They came prepared. They were hoping – no, they _knew_ that we, as Gundam Pilots, would not allow anything to happen to Relena or the peace that we worked so hard to bring about, so they came with an arsenal that is strong enough to destroy us. This is no longer a scuffle for power between two military organizations; this is now an all out war for control over earth and her colonies."

"Duo!" Quatre yelled, "I'm getting something big off the sensors!"

Duo's eyes narrowed and he hit several buttons, and studied what was on the monitor. He frowned and hit a button and in a voice that was commanding, level and emotionless, said, "This is Admiral Shinn Asuka, First Class, Type Two Unlimited of the CSA. Identify yourself and your vessel."

In their respective cockpits, the eyes of the other Gundam Pilots (excluding Milliardo) bulged. This was a side of Duo Maxwell they had never seen or heard before.

The cloaking lifted to reveal a very large battle ship with the emblem of an eight pointed star with the letters CSA over it in red. (A/N: Think of the Minerva from Gundam Seed Destiny.)

"_This is Alexa Morse, Captain of CSA Battleship, First Class, Level 12, Goldstreak."_

"This is Admiral Kaze Haruka, Second Class, Type Two Unlimited, Commander of CSA L4 Orbital Base, Futune. Goldstreak, what are you doing?" Milliardo snapped.

"_We thought you might like some help, Admiral Kaze, Admiral Shinn." _Morse replied.

Duo and Milliardo exchanged a look over the vid-link and Duo nodded. Milliardo inclined his head in answer and hit a button. "Your help is very much appreciated, Goldstreak, but not yet neccessary."

"_Roger that. We await your instructions, Admiral Shinn, Admiral Kaze."_

"Stand by, Goldstreak," Duo said.

"_Roger, Goldstreak out."_

Of course, just then, an Aries slammed into the Deathsythe, throwing it aside and away from the shuttle. Duo swore as he was thrown painfully against the safety harnesses.

Another large battle ship (A/N: Think of the Gosroth from Crest of the Stars.), this time with the emblem of a dagger with the stem of a rose wrapped around the hilt appeared. A docking clamp extended from one of the bays, and clamped itself firmly onto the passenger side of the shuttle.

Milliardo and Duo had made no effort to keep their transmissions to the other pilots a secret. The Nautilus Commanders weren't stupid, they had intercepted the transmissions, and being familiar with the CSAs way of working, they instantly identified Gaia, Cosmos, Duo and Milliardo as high ranking CSA agents, since only high ranking Agents would have known about the Amelia Virus fiasco. There were also Subaru and Seishiro, who had responded to 09 and 10, who were well known to be two out of the six agents who were the Best of the Best among the CSA. With six CSA agents and four of the original Gundam Pilots, the Nautilus knew their chances of winning were slim.

Now, with the revelation of a top of the line CSA Battleship and two Type Two Unlimited CSA Admirals, and four of the best Agents the CSA had to offer, all of whom were Gundam Pilots, and the Original Gundam Pilots on the field, the Nautilus knew that their time was up, and that they had absolutely no chance of winning.

But if they were going to lose, they would go out with plenty of flair.

And they had every intention of taking the Princess of Sanq and Vice Foreign Minister, Relena Dorlian Peacecraft down with them.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

The shuttle gave a violent jerk, and the three girls stumbled. Cosmos extended a hand to keep Relena from falling, and once they had regained their balance, the three girls set off once more. Moments later, the shuttle lurched violently toward the passenger side, and the girls were thrown against a wall. Cosmos slapped her hands against the wall, bending her elbows as she did, to absorb the impact. Gaia wrapped an arm around Relena's waist and angled her body so that when her back hit the wall Relena would fall against her, thereby, taking the brunt of the impact.  
Of course, that was just before the lights went out along with the humming that indicated that the shuttle was running.  
Cosmos snarled mentally. Not only were they now stuck on board a motion dead shuttle, they were stuck on a motion AND power dead shuttle. Without the power for the doors to open and close – they were stuck.

Dammit! How were she and Gaia going to do their jobs of protecting Relena if they couldn't get her to the bridge and out in one of the escape pods? Cosmos sighed. At least they had gotten stuck in the hallways. They could easily move if a stray shot were to hit the shuttle.

'_That's true' _Gaia's mental voice floated through Cosmos' mind. _'But let's get Princess Peacecrap to the bridge first. If worst comes to worse, we use our powers and blast the walls or the door apart.'_

Cosmos nodded and the three women sprinted down the hall. Before they knew it, they were standing in front of the heavy titanium alloy doors which led to the bridge. Of course, it sure as hell wasn't going to open, not without electricity at least. But there were two very gifted Gundam pilots standing in front of those doors, and come hell or high water, they WOULD get Relena Peacecraft onto the bridge.

Cosmos got to work on the console beside the door while Gaia backed Relena into a corner and stood at ready with her gun aimed down the hall, ready to fire the moment someone, say, an enemy, a) came into range, or b) rounded the corner, or c) came down the hall.

After what seemed like forever, but had actually been less than a minute, the door slid open. A single person dressed in a Nautilus uniform rounded the corner, and Gaia pulled the trigger. The body collapsed and Gaia quickly passed Relena to Cosmos who shoved her into the bridge and slipped in, while Gaia backed into the room, her gun still aimed down the hall. Gaia waited until the door slid fully shut before holstering her gun.

"Was that what I thought it was?" Cosmos asked, her voice flat.

"It depends on what you thought it was," Gaia said in her monotone.

"I thought I'd saw a Shadowmancer in a Nautilus uniform," Cosmos said.

"Then you saw correctly," Gaia replied, giving no sign of what she was feeling.

"What the hell is a Shadowmancer doing in a Nautilus uniform, 08!"

"Unknown," Gaia replied calmly, before taking Relena's arm. She glared at the captain and barked, "Where are the escape pods?"

The captain led Gaia and Relena over to the pods. Gaia shoved Relena inside and studied the captain.

"What are the codes for the self-destruct?" Cosmos said from behind him.

The captain jumped. "Why do you need the codes for the self-destruct?" he asked.

"Why else?" Gaia answered, raising a delicate eyebrow. "We intend to self destruct this ship, of course."

"Which means you and your crew will have to be in the pods. As for Relena's safety, we are entrusting that to you," Cosmos said calmly.

"But there is no power!" an officer objected. "Without any power, the self-destruct is completely useless!"

"There must be power," Gaia and Cosmos said patiently in unison, "because the life support is still on."

"But the two of you were entrusted with my safety!" Relena cried.

Gaia allowed a small smile to appear on her lips. "Our orders were to see to your safety at all costs, even if it means our lives."

"We are the Hidden Gundam Pilots," Cosmos said. "We follow orders, now GET INTO THE POD!"

"That goes for the rest of the crew," Gaia said calmly and the crew began to run for the escape pods.

Meanwhile, the captain gave them the codes for the self destruct. Cosmos memorized each code, though incredulously. _'Bambii?'_

'_Whoever came up with these codes sure had one hell of a social life' _Gaia remarked mentally, while filing each code away in her mind for later use.

"Listen carefully," Cosmos said, "Once inside the pods, you must use the computer transmitters that should be inside to contact the battleship that must be observing the battle outside. Then alert the Gundams to move clear. No one must see you, not the Gundams, not the enemy."

"It will be difficult, but not impossible." Gaia said calmly. "Cosmos and I will eject the ships waste, it will provide you with cover, since no one will want to get too close and get hit by the debris."

"I'm assuming the area to access the self-destruct is in the main computer in the center of the ship?" Cosmos said calmly.

The captain nodded.

"Good," Gaia said, "Now move. If any of you are still on the ship when we activate the self-destruct, neither Cosmos nor I can be responsible for your welfare."

She turned away and walked over to the piloting console and her fingers flew over the keys. Cosmos left the bridge and turned and fiddled with the console, and the doors slid shut behind her.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Duo's fingers flew over the keyboard, and he hit a button and said, "Goldstreak, this is Admiral Shinn Asuka. The L1 shuttle has just ejected its waste as a cover for its escape pods. Your objective is to retrieve the pods. Understood?"

"_Understood, Admiral." _Morse said.

The Goldstreak moved in, and the debris bounced harmlessly off the thick gundanium hull of the battleship. Several transfer shuttles left the launch bays and collected the twenty-nine escape pods. After nearly half an hour, all the pods were collected, and Morse ordered a transmission to be sent to Duo over a private frequency.

"_The pods have all been collected. Seventy-six crew, and the Vice Foreign Minister have been safely retrieved."_

"Were Agents 07 and 08 among them?" Duo asked.

"_No, Admiral. Agents Gaia and Cosmos were not in any of the pods."_

"Does the Vice Foreign Minister know why her bodyguards are not with her?"

"_The Vice Foreign Minister and the crew of the shuttle report that Agents Gaia and Cosmos are still on the shuttle, most likely preparing to self-destruct the ship."_

"They are preparing to WHAT?"

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Cosmos swore as she entered the room containing the main computers. She had killed over fifty soldiers and six Shadowmancers on her way to the Main Console. She sat down and her fingers flew over the keys, bypassing clearances and finally typing in the code for the self-destruct.

She sighed and accessed the security system on another monitor...infra- red scanners? She brought it up and the screen displayed a map of the shuttle and its floors, tracking down what had to be hundreds of dots moving around.  
The shuttle was crawling with the enemy. If she and Gaia were going down, they sure as hell were bringing as many of those bastards as they could with them.  
Cosmos smiled grimly and hit enter. The self-destruct process had begun. She spun from her seat -  
And came face to face to a very pretty woman.

A very pretty woman with blue hair and skin, and pointy ears and fangs, who was pissed as hell, to be exact.

Oh… how screwed was she.

Before she could blink, Cosmos found herself hurting all over. She sighed. What was with her and getting thrown into walls? This was probably the twentieth time in less than twelve hours!

She blinked again and began sliding down the wall. Sighing, Cosmos rolled in mid-air, and landed in a crouch on the floor. The woman hadn't moved, and Cosmos felt herself lifting once more into the air.

Oh, no. She was Pilot 07 of Gundam Cosmos Angel, codenamed Cosmos. She wasn't going to fall for that telekinesis trick twice.

She pulled out her gun and fired off three shots. In most cases, getting shot in the abdomen and in the shoulders sent a person reeling back before collapsing and dying from blood loss. In the woman's case, her reaction was to go berserk.

Cosmos gulped as the now thoroughly pissed woman lunged at her, and sidestepped, so the woman went headfirst into the wall. Without even pausing to think, Cosmos dashed out of the room, out into the hall, and sprinted for the bridge.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

"04," Heero called. "Anything on the shuttle?"

"No." Quatre said, voice tense. As soon as that...thing had settled over the shuttle, it had steered it away into masses of enemy mobile dolls. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't get close to it.  
"What the hell are we supposed to do if we can't get to the shuttle!" Subaru said.  
"We can't keep blasting our way through." Trowa said calmly, but with faint undertones of worry. "There are too many. And I don't know how much my artillery can hold out."  
They watched helplessly, regrouping. "Any ideas, Duo?" Milliardo asked.  
"Yes," Duo's voice was bland. "Move as far away from the shuttle as possible."

What!"  
"The shuttle's their primary concern, you're their secondary. Move away, let them think they've won and figure out a plan while you're not being worn down by mobile dolls," he said, indifferent to their disbelief. "I've received a message from escaped crew members asking us to do the same."  
"Escaped?" Quatre asked. "I didn't see any escaping."  
"The shuttle emptied it's waste materials into space a few minutes ago." Trowa pointed out. "The escape pods could have been hidden among the debris..."  
"So now what?" Trowa asked Duo, morosely.

"Follow orders." He said softly, eyes on the shuttle.  
"Shinn!" Milliardo said. "You know they could still be in there! We can't just pull back and -"  
"Pull back." Duo ordered, his voice cold.  
They did so, with Duo leading the way. He didn't like running. None of them did. He sighed silently, glancing back at the shuttle… He blinked… He blinked again, opening his mouth …

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

As Cosmos gently pressed the joystick, smiling as the shuttle's beam cannon fired off several shots, destroying several enemy MS and MD.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

"What the hell are they doing!" He yelled in shock.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

"That ought to get their attention," she said grimly.

"And it worked very well, better than I expected," Gaia deadpanned.

"What!" Cosmos yelped.

"Look outside, baka," Gaia muttered, quickly entering coordinates for the next round of fire from the beam cannon.

Cosmos studied the monitor and smiled in satisfaction. The enemy MS and MD were coming in toward the ship. "Yep, it got their attention all right." Her smile faltered and she said softly, "You know Gaia; we've survived some pretty crazy shit in the past."

"Hnn."

"I just can't believe it'll end like this."

"Hnn."

"I just wish we had more time."

"Hnn?"

"I'm serious! We've only come together this decade, mostly because Kamui was on the loose, and with powers like his, he could easily destroy the world!"

"Hnn."

"We trained for the past ten years to be Gundam Pilots, and to find Kamui. Through it all, we've always been there for one another, you, me, Shinn, Seishiro, and Subaru… But we only knew each other for two years!"

"Hnn." Gaia pressed a button and the shuttle's beam cannon fired off another blast.

"I wish we had more time."

Gaia sighed and stood up. "I'm going to shut off the remaining power to the rest of the shuttle. There's no reason to keep the life-support running for the enemy, they're going to have to die sooner or later. I'll divert some of the power from the main backup generators into the beam rifles. The power from the sub-generators should be enough for the shuttle to self-destruct."

Cosmos nodded absently as Gaia went to the console in the back of the room.

She sighed and turned the shuttle around and plunged into the hordes of enemy fighters, firing blindly. She'd used the majority of the fire power in the first shot, though. The blasts she was firing now were nothing more than a light show.  
But that didn't matter. Cosmos grinned triumphantly as she looked at the sensors. At least a hundred and fifty MS and MD were close enough for the self- destruct to take out. The majority, she noted looking at the screen, were MDs.   
"You little bitch." A voice hissed behind her. Oh shit. She hadn't even heard the door open, and Gaia was in the back, shutting down the power.  
Cosmos spun around, throwing her fist in a blind punch, and stopped and gasped as her air was suddenly cut off. The woman smiled, revealing her fangs as her grip on Cosmos' neck tightened.

"My name is Kali." She lifted Cosmos off the ground and raised her hand, which she curled into claws. Oh, god, her nails looked sharp… "And you are dead."

Kali's hand moved forward… Then jerked to a sudden stop. She paused and looked over her shoulder in shock, staring at the slim hand gripping her wrist. Kali's eyes widened as Gaia stepped into view, her face impassive.

"Drop her…" Gaia's voice was dull, as were her eyes… dull and blank.

Kali froze as she probed Gaia's mind and found… nothing. Cosmos took advantage of the Shadowmancer's surprise and kicked her firmly in the stomach. Kali grunted in surprise and pain, dropping her. Gaia slipped behind Kali, and in one smooth move, snapped the Shadowmancer's neck.

Gaia and Cosmos smiled sadly…

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

They watched in silence as the ship self-destructed.  
"Someone had to be onboard for it to self-destruct." Trowa said.  
"Couldn't they have gotten off?" Quatre asked immediately.  
"I don't know." Milliardo said thoughtfully. "That ship latched onto the shuttle. It must have been boarded..."  
There was a short silence. Heero heard a sudden shifting over the speaker, and could see Wufei's intake of breath.  
"The self-destruct took out about a hundred fifty of the enemy." He said matter-of-factly, hoping to snap them out of it. "If we take them out now, they won't be back to bug us later on."  
Duo sighed, studying the hundreds of dolls swarming towards them... once again. "Back to back," He ordered quickly. "We'll take it from there."

The other's images nodded, flicking off screen. They knew how hectic a battle could get. They faced outward, waiting for the battle to begin, each preparing themselves for the inevitable…


	14. Chapter 13:Nautilus Strike Part V

Ayashi no Yuugi

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter 13: **Nautilus Strike Part V**

So, the Mission Nautilus Strike is winding down, but that by no means, means that this fic is over yet! Not by a long shot…

**Warning:** Rated T for language.

**Previously, on Ayashi no Yuugi…**

…"Twenty hundred Nautilus uniforms have been reported in hotels in a two block radius of the Emperor Hotel!"

"Two hundred unidentified MS and MD lining up along the path of L4 shuttle 5983 to colony L2. Possible target, Vice Foreign Minister, Relena Dorlian Peacecraft, Princess of the Sanq Kingdom!"

…Soldiers dressed in the uniforms of the Nautilus…

…swarmed in.

Mission Nautilus Strike had begun.

…the wall blasted apart and a … figure dressed in black wearing a silvery mask entered.

…several grenades flew forward… and the only thing left of the Nautilus soldiers in the room were bits and pieces of flesh and bone and… a corpse or two or three lying around in large pools of blood.

…"Enemy MS are coming to life! They are taking on an attack formation!"

"MS Team Dark reports that more enemy MS are approaching the target!"

"Contact Battleship Goldstreak! Order her to D5, H6!"

…Duo frowned as his sensors picked up something. He typed in a command and his eyes widened in shock. He flipped on the vid-link and snapped, "On second thought, Kaze, make it a Condition Red. There are over twenty Tauruses coming from E6, G7, Delta, and they've got four positron cannons with them."

…Milliardo's eyes widened and he snarled a curse and his hands flew over the keyboard of his gundam's console.

…"Four positron cannons, seven electron shields, and twenty electron cannons," Milliardo growled, "It looks like that damned virus sent out more than we originally thought."

"Nuclear weapons and energy shields," Duo said, his voice flat, icy, and emotionless. "They came prepared. They were hoping – no, they _knew_ that we, as Gundam Pilots, would not allow anything to happen to Relena or the peace that we worked so hard to bring about, so they came with an arsenal that is strong enough to destroy us. This is no longer a scuffle for power between two military organizations; this is now an all out war for control over earth and her colonies."

…Duo's eyes narrowed and he… said, "This is Admiral Shinn Asuka, First Class, Type Two Unlimited of the CSA. Identify yourself and your vessel."

"_This is Alexa Morse, Captain of CSA Battleship, First Class, Level 12, Goldstreak."_

"This is Admiral Kaze Haruka, Second Class, Type Two Unlimited, Commander of CSA L4 Orbital Base, Futune. Goldstreak, what are you doing?" Milliardo snapped.

"_We thought you might like some help, Admiral Kaze, Admiral Shinn." _Morse replied.

"Your help is very much appreciated, Goldstreak, but not yet neccessary."

"_Roger that. We await your instructions, Admiral Shinn, Admiral Kaze."_

"Stand by, Goldstreak," Duo said.

"_Roger, Goldstreak out."_

… Morse ordered a transmission to be sent to Duo over a private frequency.

"_The pods have all been collected. Seventy-six crew, and the Vice Foreign Minister have been safely retrieved."_

"Were Agents 07 and 08 among them?" Duo asked.

"_No, Admiral. Agents Gaia and Cosmos were not in any of the pods."_

"Does the Vice Foreign Minister know why her bodyguards are not with her?"

"_The Vice Foreign Minister and the crew of the shuttle report that Agents Gaia and Cosmos are still on the shuttle, most likely preparing to self-destruct the ship."_

"They are preparing to WHAT?"

…Cosmos …sighed and turned the shuttle around and plunged into the hordes of enemy fighters, firing blindly.

"You little bitch." A voice hissed behind her.  
Cosmos spun around… and… The woman smiled, revealing her fangs as her grip on Cosmos' neck tightened.

"My name is Kali." She lifted Cosmos off the ground and raised her hand, which she curled into claws… "And you are dead."

Kali's hand moved forward… Then jerked to a sudden stop. She paused and looked over her shoulder in shock, staring at the slim hand gripping her wrist.

"Drop her…" Gaia's voice was dull, as were her eyes… dull and blank.

Kali froze as she probed Gaia's mind and found… nothing. Cosmos…kicked her firmly in the stomach. Kali grunted in surprise and pain, dropping her. Gaia slipped behind Kali, and… snapped the Shadowmancer's neck.

Gaia and Cosmos smiled sadly…

…They watched in silence as the ship self-destructed.  
…"The self-destruct took out about a hundred fifty of the enemy." He said matter-of-factly, hoping to snap them out of it. "If we take them out now, they won't be back to bug us later on."  
Duo sighed… "Back to back," He ordered quickly. "We'll take it from there."

The other's images nodded… waiting for the battle… preparing… for the inevitable…

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Gaia sighed as she and Cosmos appeared in the hanger of a hidden space colony (The L6 colony cluster to be precise), and the two, without bothering with protective suits, leapt inside their Gundams and began powering up.

"Gundam Miyuki, ready for launch."

"Gundam Phoenix, ready for launch."

"_Depressurizing cabin," _a female voice said over the link. _"Opening bay doors. Miyuki, Phoenix, you are cleared for launch."_

"Roger," Gaia said. "Gaia, Phoenix Gundam, launch!" The electro magnetic cannon flung her Gundam out into space, and Gaia hit a button and the black, burgundy and gold version of Gundam Deathscythe only with black bat wings changed into flight mode.

"Cosmos, Miyuki Gundam, launch!" Cosmos hit a button as the electromagnetic cannon flung her Gundam out the bay doors and the silver, blue, and white version of the Wing Gundam changed into flight mode.

"Accessing hyperspace in T-minus ten seconds," Gaia reported as she flipped down a screen and flipped several switches on the console just over her head. "Now!" Gaia flipped a switch and in a burst of light, the two Gundams vanished.

The two Gundams raced through the… tunnel, would be the closest term for it… ignoring the grey-green swirls and the black trails that were left in their wake, the two girls concentrated on emerging from the correct exit.

"Thrusters at eighty percent, speed at seventy percent, the nearest exit to the battle is twelve degrees to the left, and it should take us an estimated two minutes to get to the field," Comos said.

"Understood," Gaia said calmly.

"How do you think the others are doing? Last I saw, there were seventy MS about six kilometers away, approaching the others from the rear," Cosmos said worriedly.

"The battleship Goldstreak is there. If they needed any help, Alexa would send out the MS that are in there."

"That's if Shinn and Kaze aren't allowing their pride to do the thinking."

"Hnn."

Cosmos studied the monitor and frowned. "Exiting hyperspace in T-minus twenty seconds," she said briskly, falling easily into her place as a soldier.

"N-jammers at thirty-five percent, range, four point five kilometers."

"SC cloak at thirty percent, limit, ten minutes."

"T-minus ten seconds."

"Beam cannon at sixty percent, range, one point six kilometers."

"T-minus five seconds."

"Positron deflectors charged and ready, total, three uses."

"Aa. Exiting hyperspace."

The two Gundams blasted out of hyperspace, and Gaia began rattling out coordinates and directions to decrease speed and to change their trajectory. Cosmos rattled off the readiness of her Gundams various weaponry, and occasionally tossed a good-natured barb toward Gaia, which was good-naturedly returned, to lighten the tense atmosphere that was inevitably building up in the cockpits.

Nearly a minute later… "Gaia?"

"Hnn?"

"Are those what I think they are?"

"Sixty Aries coming at Shinn and the others from the left?"

"Aa."

"Yep."

"Tch. Let's take 'em down."

"Hnn."

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Duo glanced at the sensors as the scythe took out three MS and two MD in one swipe and swore. Sixty Aries were coming at them from the left, and his scythe was almost out of juice.

"_Need help, Shinigami?"_ a familiar voice called over the com-link.

"Gaia?" was Duo's incredulous reply.

"_That was a yes, ne, Shinn?" _Cosmos' voice came lightly over the link.

"Were the two of you trying to give us a heart attack?" Milliardo roared into the link.

"_Ouch,"_ Gaia said lightly, _"Does that mean you were worried about us?"_

"Dammit, yes, we were worried!" Duo yelled.

"_Well, incase you've forgotten, we are GAIA and COSMOS. We don't die easily," _Cosmos said calmly.

"_Let's take care of the bakas," _Gaia said.

"_Roger that!"_

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Quatre flung one of his heat shotels at the enemy, taking out two at once. He frowned at his sensors and sighed. Times like these, he wished there were more Gundams. Of course, there were at least ten Gundams in existence, and two were unavailable as their pilots were most likely with Relena on that battleship, Goldstreak. He quickly dodged under the blow of an MS and quickly dispatched it.

It was then he detected something else on his sensors. It flashed differently from the rest of their enemies. Come to think of it, if he didn't know any better, he would have thought it was not one, but two gundams. He braced himself, looking to his left and expecting an all powerful new enemy to appear.

What he did see made him gape. An enemy could have easily killed him during that moment of distraction. He blinked once, very hard, before closing his mouth, and switching on the speaker.

"Uh guys? There's something odd to my left," He said, rattling off the coordinates.

_"We're a bit busy, Winner."_ Wufei grunted.

"I thought you might want to know though."

Quatre watched over the vid-screen as Duo glanced in the same direction, and his eyes took on a dangerous gleam. The Sandrock pilot gulped as Duo flipped several switches and snarled angrily over the link.

"_What are the two of you doing!"_ Duo yelled. _"I thought you were going to intercept those Aries!"_

"_We are,"_ Gaia's voice came over the link, dangerously calm.

"_Well if that's the case,"_ Milliardo's voice was deceptively good-natured, _"you might want to know that you're both about a kilometer off course."_

"_Don't you think we don't already know that?" _Cosmos snapped.

"_You were the one doing the directions, Comos,"_ Gaia said dryly, _"if anyone is to blame for leaving the Hyperspace at the wrong position, it is you."  
"It wasn't my fault!"_

Quatre watched, fascinated, as the American's eyebrow started twitching while the only two known female Gundam pilots in existence threw insults, accusations, counter-accusations, and death threats at each other. If he didn't know any better, Quatre would have said that the braided pilot was working himself into a killing rage. Of course, he had seen so many different sides of the boy since the attack began, that the Arabian had begun to feel that nothing about Duo would ever surprise him any more.

"_Stop your bitching and haul your pretty little asses over here!"_ Duo and Milliardo's voices blasted through the link with the force of an exploding supernova, causing more than one pilot to start in surprise in the cockpit of their gundams.

"_Hai, hai, otou-san!"_ Gaia and Cosmos snarled in unison, making no effort to hide their annoyance or irritation.

A quiet bleep was heard, signaling that the two females had closed the link, and Milliardo glowered at the blank monitors while Duo snarled an impressive stream of multi-lingual curses. Trowa and Heero exchanged a look over the vid-screen and simultaneously raised a questioning eyebrow, which the Deathscythe and Tallgeese pilots ignored while using hand signs to communicate over the vid-link. Obviously, whatever they were talking about, they wanted no one to know about, which caused the other pilots' curiosity to peak further. Heero simply filed this incident away in his 'interesting, annoy someone about it later' file in his brain.

It was nearly two hours later that the last of the Nautilus MS and MD were destroyed. The positron cannons had been loaded onto the Goldstreak, where at the command of Milliardo, Duo, and Captain Morse, they were put into high security storage until they could be transported to the CSA Colony L4 Research and Development Center. At Duo's command, the Gundams had landed in the hanger in the Goldstreak, and all ten pilots were on their way to the Ceres Point Safehouse on the hidden colony cluster L7…

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

**KamuiGaia07: **So ends the Nautilus Strike. This happens to be one of the bigger missions that we came up with for this fic.

**Mitsuki Cosmos: **We originally intended for Nautilus Strike to include an attempted assassination of Relena, with an Odin Lowe type assassin after they leave the shuttleport. But let's be realistic. No matter how good a pair of Gundam Pilots Gaia and Cosmos might be, there really is no way they can stop a bullet from killing Relena without revealing their secret, which is actually a bad thing, since it would cause Kamui to panic, and as a result, he'd disappear again.

**KamuiGaia07: **According to a side story, which we may or may not post, 'Kamui' is very powerful, and has been in hiding ever since January 1, 2000 AD, since he's been through a lot of hardship, and he knows that his power can inevitably destroy the planet. He's doing this to protect Earth, but what he didn't know was that the 'Kamui' power is very volatile, and if it remains in the open after the Year of Destiny, the power could easily run rampant and destroy the Earth anyway.

**Mitsuki Cosmos: **Kamui doesn't know this, so through out the last 195 years, he's been running from the five immortals sent to retrieve the power. He's trying to protect the earth, but has no idea that he is threatening it. He's actually assuming that the five immortals want the 'Kamui' power for less than savory purposes, hence the running from the immortals.

**KamuiGaia07:** The CSA don't exactly worry about how many years it'll take for a supply shuttle to reach earth from Pluto, or something like that since they have access to hyperspace, which actually allows them to travel light-years in mere seconds or hours, depending on how fast or slow they're traveling. Therefore, no! Relena and the crew of the shuttle are not still on Goldstreak. None of the CSA people are too worried that someone will find out the location of the hidden colonies, since if by some chance this does happen, they will simply move the colonies even further away.

**Mitsuki Cosmos: **However, the CSA does follow a motto of better safe than sorry, and Relena and the rescued crew from the shuttle have been sent to L1 on the Goldstreak Transfer Shuttle, Pallas. Certified CSA bodyguards who are also Preventer Agents will be taking over Gaia and Cosmos' places as Relena's bodyguards while they are at L7.

**KamuiGaia07: **OK, so this chapter wasn't as long as the others, but hey, this ought to be good enough! We've been working our pretty little teenaged behinds off to crank out these missions, so we hope you're happy!

Preview of Chapter 14…

"Maxwell! What is the meaning of this?" Heero snapped.

"Sorry, Yuy," Duo said, his eyes blank, his face impassive. Nothing in his posture showed any emotion, and his voice had taken on a flat quality the sent shivers down the Japanese pilot's spine. "This is standard procedure. If you're not a certified CSA agent, and you spot a CSA ship and/or learn the identity of a CSA Agent, you get brought to L7, and your memories of the CSA are erased."

"Will we even remember you, Duo?" Trowa asked.

Duo raised an incredulous eyebrow. "Are you kidding me? Have memories of one of your comrades in arms erased? You will still remember pilot 02; you just won't remember anything about pilot 02 being CSA Pilot 04 or a CSA Type Two Unlimited Admiral."

"This is…"

"If I even hear the word injustice in that sentence, Chang, I will personally make sure that you spend the rest of your days convinced that you're a six year old girl," Duo said, a murderous gleam appearing in his eyes before disappearing under a stoic mask.

"Are you allowed to do that?" Quatre asked.

"I'll even go as far as to have Noin, Dorothy, and Sally braid his hair and put him in a frilly pink dress with lots of ribbons," a spark of amusement flickered in the American's eyes before disappearing under the stoic mask as well.

"…not fair," Wufei finished.

Duo sighed. "Don't fight us on this; I don't like this procedure any more than you do. Trust me; it'll make it easier on the both of us, not to mention, it'll hurt me more than it hurts you."

"Gentlemen," Milliardo said, entering the room, "we are ready for you now."


	15. Chapter 14: Wishful Memories Rewritten

Ayashi no Yuugi

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter 14: **Wishful Memories**

Mitsuki Cosmos: We've rewritten this chapter. Enjoy!

April 24, 198 AC; 10:00 PM

CSA Battleship, First Class, Level 12, Goldstreak

"Goldstreak, this is Admiral Shinn Asuka. Do you have room in your hanger to take in ten Gundams?"

"_More than enough room, Admiral," _Morse's voice was calm.

"I hope you have room in the hold," Milliardo's voice was calm, "since we're bringing in four positron cannons as well."

"_We have the room, Admiral Kaze," _Morse said.

"Good," Duo said briskly.

"_Admirals, lead the Gundams in through Bay, we'll open the bay doors."_

"Thank you," Milliardo said.

"Let's go," Duo said into the link, "Follow me."

He led the Gundams into the battleship. They leapt out of the Gundams once the hanger was pressurized, and waiting medics instantly took them into the infirmary for a checkup.

Once they were declared to be in perfect health, except for Omnyouji and Sakurazukamori, who had several cracked ribs, sprained ankle or wrist, and broken limbs as well as a concussion (in Omnyouji's case).

The crew of the L1 shuttle and Relena were given rooms toward the heart of the ship, where they'd be safest.

Duo, Milliardo, Gaia, and Cosmos were shown to rooms near the bridge, and found that their uniforms and sabers were there. Apparently, Madame S had intended for them to attend some sort of meeting at L7. The other Gundam Pilots were shown to rooms down the hall from Duo, Milliardo, Gaia and Cosmos, and they were given a change of clothes, namely black slacks, and white dress shirts. They met in one of the three Officers' conference rooms for a quick meeting with the Captain and her First Officer.

They instantly decided to send the crew of the L1 shuttle and Relena to L1 via transfer shuttle, and then continue to L7 to deal with the repercussions of the Gundam Pilots knowing about the CSA. Once the six CSA agents and four Gundam Pilots were safely on the hidden colony, the Goldstreak would continue to the CSA Colony L4 Research and Development Center to have the positron cannons properly stored and studied.

April 25, 198 AC; 6:30 AM

CSA Battleship, First Class, Level 12, Goldstreak

Relena and the L1 shuttle crew were woken by a separate crew member of the Goldstreak at 6:00 AM, and given time to freshen up. At 6:30 AM, they boarded the Goldstreak Transfer Shuttle, Pallas. The CSA crew piloting the shuttle was careful not to wear their CSA uniforms, and was given specific orders as to what to do once they were launched from the battleship. At approximately 6:45 AM, the Goldstreak Transfer Shuttle, Pallas, was launched and on it's way to the colony L1 with it's precious cargo, the crew of the L1 shuttle, and the Vice Foreign Minister and Princess of Sanq, Relena Dorlian Peacecraft.

April 25, 198 AC; 3:02 PM

Colony L7 Orbital Base, Ceres Point

"Gentlemen, welcome to the CSA L7 Orbital Base, Ceres Point," Duo said lightly as the Goldstreak pulled into the hanger of the base.

The changes in the American pilot were amazing, Quatre thought. Only a moment ago, he was justified in calling himself the God of Death, now, with his head held high, and his back ramrod straight, with the impeccable manners of one born in high society, the joker was gone, replaced by a man one would not want to cross. While strikingly handsome most of the time, now, dressed in the standard field uniform of the CSA with the saber revealing his position as a high ranking officer at his side, and the proud but blank expression on his face, the Deathscythe Hell pilot was surrounded by an authoritive and commanding air, and was utterly breathtaking.

"Let's get this show on the road," Milliardo said, stepping into the bridge, his saber held lightly in his left hand, his platinum blonde hair pulled back and away from his face in a high ponytail.

Duo nodded and said calmly, "07 get 09 and 10 to the infirmary. 08 make sure if Relena and the crew of the L1 Shuttle have arrived safely on the colonies. Kaze, get the Gundam Pilots to Safe House 9. We follow through on procedure SL3 at 0900 hours."

Milliardo, Gaia, and Cosmos saluted and left the bridge, the Gundam Pilots in tow.

"Are you alright, Admiral?" Morse said, looking up from the console.

Duo smiled tightly. "I feel like I'm about to face a firing squad."

"It's not easy to send your friends to the Memory Sorter, is it?"

"No, Captain, it is not." Duo sighed, and squared his shoulders and nodded curtly at Morse before walking off the bridge, his steps measured and even.

April 25, 198 AC; 5:05 PM

Colony L7 Orbital Base, Ceres Point, Safe House 9

Admiral Shin Asuka, First Class, Type Two Unlimited of the CSA; he was admittedly one of the best Agents in the entire history of the Cosmos Star Agency.

Effective, polite, merciful, brutal, known for his good judgment and calm outlook in times which would have broken any other man, with a record of single handedly completing missions that normally required five or six to complete, and supposedly the next Shinigami of the Triad, he had risen quickly through the ranks. Unknown to many in the Agency, he was _the_ Shinigami, and he'd been around longer than they could ever have imagined. His millennia of experience had molded him into an impartial watcher and participant in the dance that was life, and he was more likely to misjudge himself than a person he barely knew, hence the impression of good judgment.

Duo scoffed as he watched Heero pace the comfortable chamber that Milliardo had left him and the other three Gundam Pilots in from the observation deck. Right. Good judgment his ass. He'd bet his entire Hades Series MS that this was one of his worse moments, considering that he had lied to the people who saw him as their friend for the past two or three years. Now that one of his more minor secrets was out, he was getting ready to erase the incident, and leave them in the dark again.

He closed his eyes and touched his forehead to the cool glass, remembering the tak that led to his arrival on earth…

_**Flashback**_

_A figure clad in a wine colored robe, with a long chestnut braid falling down his back to his knees carrying a scythe in his hand with outstretched bat wings stood in the swirling vortex of blacks, green, blues, reds, and violets. He floated in the darkness, ignoring the swirling and shifting colors that made up Existence, his head bowed as his pale face was bathed in a white light that was the Creator…_

"_Are you willing to do what you must to guard this earth, Shinigami?"_

"_Yes my Lord."_

"_Then go to Earth. With Omnyouji, Sakurazukamori, Gaia, and Cosmos, start up an orginiation to guard and train those blessed by me, and seek out Kamui. Bring back the 'Kamui' Power without killing Kamui, if possible, and see to it that Kamui can live a peaceful life."_

"_Yes my Lord."_

"_Shinigami, you will have to tear humans from their lives rather than guiding them during this mission. Are you willing to end the lives of these mortals before their time?"_

"_No, my Lord, but I will do so none the less."_

"_Then go. You will meet your companions on Earth, and you will do my will. All will have been arranged by Gaia."_

"_Yes my Lord," Shinigami said, bowing his head deferentially._

_He faded out of the vortex that made up Existence, the only place that the Goddess of Existence, Cosmos, did not rule. So now he would work with three immortals with whom he did not get along with, as well as one who was his servant. Omnyouji and Sakurazukamori would follow the wills of Gaia, Cosmos, and himself, but what of the remainders? From what he understood, Gaia would follow Cosmos, if Cosmos should decide to command her, but to his understanding, neither he, Cosmos, nor Gaia enjoyed being ordered about. So who would command this mission?_

_**End flashback**_

"Shinn?" Gaia's voice was gentle. "We're ready to follow through with Procedure SL3."

"Aa," Duo's voice was tired and held a deep sadness and loneliness, and reverberated with eternity, an immortal's voice.

Gaia's arms wrapped around him reassuringly. "I know how you feel, my friend," her voice changed to encompass the baying of hounds, the gurgling of running water, the roaring of the oceans, the peace and silent growth of green things, the lively chatter of the beasts, an echoing infinity reminiscent of the ancient days when humans were one with nature, the voice of her immortality.

Duo opened his eyes, and for a moment, reflected in the glass were his eyes, filled with emptiness, a deep swirling void of blackness, of peace, silence, loneliness, and destruction. Gaia's eyes reflected in the glass as well, a sparkling myriad of life, of peace, silence, bustle, growth, and chaos, shifting in color, deep with emotion and time.

He blinked slowly, and his eyes became violet once more. In the window, he watched as Gaia's reflection closed her eyes and opened them again to reveal sad sea-grey depths. Their eyes met through the reflection on the glass, and understanding passed between the two, and sad smiles flickered across their features. Gaia's arms fell from around him, and she walked away.

Duo sighed, shook his head as he moved away from the glass, squared his shoulders, and left the observation deck in the opposite direction.

**XoXoXoX**

The door slid open, and Heero turned stormy eyes onto the impassive American who walked in.

"We are now following through with Procedure SL3; your memories of the CSA which was momentarily revealed during the Mission Nautilus Strike will be erased."

"Maxwell! What is the meaning of this?" Heero snapped.

"Sorry, Yuy," Duo said, his eyes blank, his face impassive. Nothing in his posture showed any emotion, and his voice had taken on a flat quality the sent shivers down the Japanese pilot's spine. "This is standard procedure. If you're not a certified CSA agent, and you spot a CSA ship and/or learn the identity of a CSA Agent, you get brought to L7, and your memories of the CSA are erased."

"Will we even remember you, Duo?" Trowa asked.

Duo raised an incredulous eyebrow. "Are you kidding me? Have memories of one of your comrades in arms erased? You will still remember pilot 02; you just won't remember anything about pilot 02 being CSA Pilot 04 or a CSA Type Two Unlimited Admiral."

"This is…"

"If I even hear the word injustice in that sentence, Chang, I will personally make sure that you spend the rest of your days convinced that you're a six year old girl," Duo said, a murderous gleam appearing in his eyes before disappearing under a stoic mask.

"Are you allowed to do that?" Quatre asked.

"I'll even go as far as to have Noin, Dorothy, and Sally braid his hair and put him in a frilly pink dress with lots of ribbons," a spark of amusement flickered in the American's eyes before disappearing under the stoic mask as well.

"…not fair," Wufei finished.

Duo sighed. "Don't fight us on this; I don't like this procedure any more than you do. Trust me; it'll make it easier on the both of us, not to mention, it'll hurt me more than it hurts you. Just ask Quatre."

"Gentlemen," Milliardo said, entering the room, "we are ready for you now."

Duo sighed and left to hand in his report, leaving Milliardo with the task of strapping down the Gundam Pilots. He never noticed Quatre rubbing his chest in a gesture that showed that he was sensing something.

"Duo!" Quatre called.

"Yes?" Duo said as he turned around, his face blank.

"We won't be hurt, right?"

"No, you won't be hurt."

"Then why are you so worried?"

"Because a lot of things can go wrong. Granted that there is a one in a million chance of something going wrong, but if there's a chance of something bad happening, it will happen. You can all be turned into vegetables if something does go wrong. That, and right now, I can truly be happy, since you know almost everything, and I don't like keeping secrets from my friends. If things do go according to plan, after this, I'll be keeping secrets from you again."

"But this means that there's less chance that I'll let something slip, right Duo?" Quatre's eyes were reassuring.

"Aa," Duo's eyes suddenly showed sadness, "but you never said anything… I actually liked having someone who wouldn't question why I healed so quickly, who knew who I am, and wasn't afraid… I want you to remember, so I can better protect you… all of you… so I don't have to sneak around…"

"Have some faith in us, Maxwell," Wufei said. "Even if we don't remember this, we're still your friends, nothing will change."

"Yeah…" Duo nodded and left, his eyes filled with infinite sadness.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

"Generators at sixty percent," Cosmos said as she manned the console.

"Memory Sorter at twelve percent and rising; estimated time remaining before reaching full power, ten point five minutes," Noin said.

"Optic Impulse Beam at twenty percent; estimated time before fully loading, three point six minutes," Milliardo reported.

"Brain wave and heart monitor at one hundred percent, respirator at ninety nine percent, emergency teams standing by," Sally reported.

"Memory Sorter at fifty percent and rising; estimated time remaining; five point three minutes."

"Generators at ninety percent," Cosmos said steadily.

"Optic Impulse Beam at fifty percent," Milliardo said, "estimated time remaining, two point three minutes."

Memory Sorter at one hundred percent."

"Optic Impulse Beam at one hundred percent."

"Generator output at one hundred percent, all systems go."

"Begin procedure," Gaia ordered.

Trowa's Memory

_(("That game, it was a transmitter all along."))_

_(("Hey, Nanashi, I wanna show you something…"))_

_(("You will take Trowa Barton's place in Operation Meteor."))_

_((Heero self destructed, and Trowa took his prone form away…))_

_((Duo's fist came down, and stopped mere inches away from impacting the desk. The wood shuddered and a small crater appeared as Duo snarled something in an unknown language.))_

"Ah, there's one," Cosmos said smoothly.

"Activating Optical Impulse Beam," Milliardo said, "Overwriting memory."

Quatre's Memory

_((The man the pilots had come to know as Rashid slapped him. "Have some pride!"))_

_((Mr. Winner picked up the letter…))_

_((Trowa walked over to the cabinet and picked up a flute and came to stand beside Quatre. Quatre's eyes opened and he smiled as they played the duet together…))_

_(("Duo?" Quatre whispered as the boy stood alone in the room, surrounded by the corpses of hundreds of OZ soldiers. Duo turned around, and Quatre took a step back. The expression on Duo's face was impassive, and his eyes were completely black, and Quatre's empathy picked up utter silence from the American… _

"_Quatre," the Ameican's voice was flat, and sounded through the Arabian's soul and mind… his empathy was going haywire… "You see me for what I truly am… Death…"_

_Quatre's eyes widened and his lips parted in a silent scream of terror as black bat wings unfolded behind Duo as he walked… no floated… toward him…_

_Duo stopped, and Quatre felt a sudden pang of regret when he saw the hurt that flashed over the boy's features. Duo turned and ran for the door on the other side of the room, and Quatre flung himself at the boy, wrapping his arms firmly around his waist, carefully avoiding crushing the wings…_

"_I'm sorry, Duo, you just surprised me for a while there…"_

_Duo turned to him with a pleading expression, "You…"_

"_I'm not scared, Duo… You've proven that you wouldn't purposefully hurt any of us many times before… I won't tell, I promise, just don't leave us!"_

"_You really want me to stay?" Duo's face was surprised. "Even knowing what I am, what I'm capable of?"_

"_At least if we die, it'll be you who takes us away!" Quatre said, "It'll reassure us, knowing that you're doing the work, and we'll know we're in good hands!"))_

"There's another one," Cosmos said.

"That's a big one," Noin's voice was shocked, "and he even kept his promise too."

"It must be killing them both," Sally said quietly, "to know that the one thing that brought the two closer is about to disappear."

"I wish we can leave that memory there," Milliardo said sadly. "It was probably this test of their trust in each other that solidified the bond between Quatre and Duo."

"Then why remove it?" Gaia's voice intoned.

The four turned shocked eyes to the girl. "Nani?"

"You heard me," Gaia said calmly. "Quatre showed that he was capable of keeping this secret, and it did solidify their trust in one another, so let's allow him to keep that one memory."

Wide smiles spread across the four faces, and Gaia found herself a recipient of four very heartfelt hugs. "Oh, Gods! Stop that!" Gaia laughed.

The group laughed and turned back to the console.

_(("We should never have tried to destroy them…"))_

_((Duo gripped Quatre's shirt, and with surprising strength, hauled him out of his seat and flung him out of the vehicle. Quatre paled when the jeep exploded into a ball of flames mere seconds after he'd hit the ground and rolled to his feet._

"_DUO!" Trowa's horrified shout cut through the shocked haze in his mind._

"_Maxwell!" Wufei's eyes held regret. He had called Duo a dishonorable blockhead who was a coward to boot before the mission, and he'd said that Duo was better off dead… oh, how he was regretting his words now…_

"_Duo…" a whisper drew Quatre's attention to Heero. His mask had vanished, and his face held a deep sorrow, fear, and some unidentifiable emotion…_

_Suddenly, a lithe figure leapt out from the flames. Quatre recognized the chestnut braid almost immediately._

"_Duo!" he cried, relieved that the American was still alive, and a strangled yell left his throat when the boy collapsed.))_

_(("Hey Qat," Duo rasped when he woke._

"_You're alive!" Quatre leapt to his feet._

"_Nice to see that you have so much faith in me, Qat," Duo chuckled. "I'm Shinigami, remember? Can't kill death that easily…"))_

"Does that apply to the earlier rule?" Cosmos asked.

Gaia rolled her eyes. "Just erase the memories that connect Duo to the CSA."

"Hai!"

Wufei's Memory

_(("You call yourself my husband? You're not worthy!"))_

_(("Is that so?" Wufei flung the hat to the ground. "Well, screw you!"))_

_((The Alliance attacked the colony and Wufei leapt into the cock pit of Altron.))_

_(("Are you sure you want to do this?" Master O asked.))_

_(("What kind of man would I be if I allow my wife to fight for me?"))_

_((The MS took the hit for him. Wufei stretched out the hand of Altron to pick up his wife's prone body from the wreckage.))_

_(("I saved your flowers…"))_

_((They sat on the field, and Meiran's head fell on his shoulder. Wufei looked down._

"_Nataku?" he said._

_She didn't answer. "NATAKU!" his cry rang out overer the field…))_

_((He watched in horror as Treize's suit exploded. He could hear his last words…_

"_Good work, my friend…"))_

_((Wufei watched in horror as Heero allowed Wing to fall into the sea…))_

_(("This is CSA Admiral Shinn Asuka reporting, Ninmou Kanryou."_

"Starting up Optical Impulse Beam."

"Memory Overwrite commencing."

Heero's Memory

_(("Be careful. You're getting old." The man smiled and walked away.))_

_((His gun was shot out of his hand. He looked at the boy in front of him, and ignoring his words, went for the gun, and the boy shot him again, this time in the leg.))_

_((He fired the Beam Rifle at the heavily guarded Mansion))_

_(("I'll put you out of your misery," he said, his gun aimed at Mariemia._

"_Thank you," she said, and her eyes slid shut._

_He pulled the trigger, and the gun clicked, signaling that it wasn't loaded. Heero's eyes rolled back into his head and he fell forward, unconscious…))_

_((Heero's eyes narrowed as he stood outside the American's closed door. Duo never closed his door; in fact, the only door he kept closed was the bathroom door, for obvious reasons. Trowa had told him that Duo'd been inside his room for the past three days, and the only sound coming through the oak was the clacking of computer keys._

_Wufei had said that Duo was acting unusual, in other words, the American was imitating him. This made every one jumpy, with the exception of Quatre. Heero had a sneaking suspicion that the Arabian knew what was wrong with Duo…))_

_((Smoke filled the air. Kamui turned the corner and immediately dropped the bag of groceries in his hand. His eyes widened in horror._

"_OKAA-SAN!" he cried, running towards the burning house.))_

_(("Kamui," his mother said. "Go to Tokyo. Your destiny is waiting."))_

_(("The Shinken shall be born at this Togakushi Shrine. From a woman's body."))_

_(("You chose you fate as a Ten no Ryu."))_

_(("KOTORI!"))_

_(("I am the Twin Star, the other Kamui. Born to fill the void when you chose."))_

_(("My name is Sumeragi Subaru."))_

_(("One I loved dearly was killed, by another whom I loved equally."))_

_(("The Shinken will hide here, safe from prying eyes. Until the day Kamui truly needs it."))_

_(("It is down to the two of us. One of us is destined to die this day."))_

_(("I will be the one to kill you. It is our destiny."))_

Gaia's eyes widened in shock. "Cosmos! That memory about the fire! We've found him! We've finally found Kamui!"

"Yes, that's wonderful. There's only one problem. It's too early," Cosmos said lightly. "We can't extract the power now without killing Heero."

"I'm not telling you to extract it _now_. I was saying that we've found him. Kamui can't run anymore, not without killing his current body, and he loves his life all too much, he has friends who won't abandon him except in death, and they don't care that he can't show very many of his emotions."

"We've searched for so long, I'm sure we can wait another year."

"We have to tell Shinigami, Omnyouji, and Sakurazukamori," Gaia's eyes sparkled. "All we have to do now is make sure he doesn't get killed until December 31, and we'll be able to extract the power! We'll be able to leave, and Heero will continue to live his life as he was meant to."

"It's a long time until December, but it'll pass by faster than wind blows," Cosmos said.

"Now that we've found Kamui, let's hurry up and erase the memories of the CSA before we get yelled at," Gaia said.

"Aa."

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

**Kamui Gaia 07: **We'll jump forward a year or so.

**MitsukiCosmos: **Read the side story "KamuiAn Ayashi no Yuugi Side Story" It goes into more detail about the beginning of the search for Kamui.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

December 31, 199 AC; 11:00 PM

Tokyo Tower, Tokyo, Japan

"Maxwell?"

"Heero?"

"Tell me again why we're on the Observation Deck of the Tokyo Tower?"

"I never told you why we're here," Duo said flippantly. "Do you know about the earthquakes that devastated Tokyo in 1999 AD?"

"Yes."

"Duo?"

"Yes, Quatre?"

"What does that have to do with why we're on the Tokyo Tower?"

"I'm getting there, Quatre. Just to make sure, you do know about the earthquakes that nearly destroyed Tokyo in 1999 AD?"

Heero and Quatre nodded.

"Good. Like I was saying, in 1999 AD, Tokyo was devastated by a series of earthquakes. Hundreds of people were killed. Of course, in the mystical sense, December 31, 1999 AD was considered the Year of Destiny, where two powers, the Ten no Ryuu, and the Chi no Ryuu, would fight for the fate of the Earth, and the battleground was this city, Tokyo. Tokyo is supposedly built on unstable ground, which is where the forces with the power to destroy the Earth, the Dragons of Earth, were confined. Humankind built a series of artificial barrier stones, seen to be precise, also known as Kekkai, to contain the Dragons of Earth, and to stabilize the ground. These barrier stones are called the Dragons of Heaven. They are the Yamanote Line, laid in the shape of the Buddha's Palm with the Imperial Palace in the center, the Shinjuku High-rises, which support the unstable ground, Sunshine 60, the Diet Building, the Rainbow Bridge, the Municipal Building, and of course, the Final Battlefield, the Tokyo Tower."

The two exchanged uneasy looks, which Duo ignored.

"One boy was said to be the key to the fate of the earth, a boy named 'Kamui'. His name had two meanings, "He Who Leads the Majesty of God" and "He Who Hunts the Majesty of God". He had two destinies, to become one of the Seven Seals, a Ten no Ryu, and save the earth, or to be come one of the Seven Angels, a Chi no Ryu, and destroy the earth.

"Kamui chose to become a Dragon of Heaven, and so, his childhood friend, Monoe Fuuma, became his Twin Star, the Other Kamui, and took the empty seat of Power as a Dragon of Earth.

"Kamui died, and as was his heritage through his Magami blood, he became Earth's Shadow Sacrifice."

Here, Duo paused. "You've heard of scapegoat dolls, haven't you? In Shamanic Sorcery, a sacrificial doll, called a scapegoat, takes on the dangers and tragedies and all ill luck that would befall a person. A Magami, plays the same purpose, and in essence, to be a Magami, is to be a living Sacrificial Doll. It is said that half the Prime Ministers in Japan were under their protection.

"Anyway, Kamui was killed by Fuuma here on Tokyo Tower as a scapegoat for Earth, as humanity's Shadow Sacrifice. He died so Mankind could live, and his wish was left unfulfilled.

"To prevent another from having to suffer his fate, and to keep his power from ever being used again, Kamui's soul fled, taking with him his destructive power. Unknown to him, his power was supposed to be returned to the Gods after his death, to prevent it running rampant and destroying the earth which he had fought to protect, and by taking it away with him, he set the gears of Destiny in motion once more.

"In hopes of preventing catastrophe, God sent down to earth, five immortals, Shinigami, Cosmos, Gaia, Omnyouji, and Sakurazukamori to retrieve the Kamui Power. Kamui found out, and he fled once more.

"To evade the five immortals sent to retrieve the 'Kamui' Power, Kamui fled once more, and with his destructive power and the horrifying memories of 1999 AD sealed inside of him, was reincarnated into a young boy in the midst of a war.

His memories returned to him over time, and with his mind filled with horrors long past, he forgot all that made him who he was in the present times. 'Kamui' became cold and withdrawn, and by 175 AC, he was found by an assassin, and was being trained for that profession.

"After the assassination of Pacifist Colony Leader Heero Yuy, 'Kamui's' mentor and surrogate father was killed, and 'Kamui' was taken and trained to be a Gundam Pilot.

"In the year 195 AC, 'Kamui' took on an alias 'into his subconscious, taking with him all trace of his power and the memories of horrors long passed and forgotten. Operation Meteor commenced, and on Earth, Kamui met the first of his four comrades, who was one of the five immortals in disguise.

"Kamui was very fortunate, because by retreating into his subconscious, the only trace of the 'Kamui' power was the speed, and endurance, impossibly light steps, and enhanced senses and reflexes; making the search for the power more difficult for the immortals. As a result, the immortal was beside him throughout the war, and never realized how close he really was.

"Kamui hid himself well, but such secrets can never be hidden forever, so on April 25, 198 AC at 3:00 PM, the Immortal discovered the location of Kamui." Duo grinned. "Am I right, Heero?"

Heero glared and said, "I have no idea what you're talking about Maxwell."

"Really, Kamui? I think you know precisely what we're talking about," a female voice said from behind the Pilots. The boys jumped and spun around, and stared as four figures materialized from the shadows.

The first was a woman with waist length silver hair. Her skin was pale, and her eyes were liquid silver, and her lips were full but pale. She was dressed in a white dress that clung lightly to her curves, and fell to the floor. The sleeves were wide and trimmed with a very light blue, embroidered with silver, and she wore delicate white slippers. Her throat was covered by diamonds, and diamond drops adorned her ears and a circlet of silver and pale blue stones adorned her brow. A pair of snowy white wings sprouted from her back at her shoulder blades. This was the Goddess Cosmos.

The second was a woman with knee length black hair. Her skin was tanned, and her eyes were amber, flecked with green and violet, and her lips were full and rosy. She was dressed in a green gown which lightly hugged her curves and fell to the floor, and the back was longer than the front to form a train of green silk. The sleeves were broad and trimmed with gold, and she wore a cap of gold lace and emeralds. Emeralds adorned her ears, and covered her throat, and she wore slippers of green silk. A pair of snowy white wings and black bat wings sprouted from her shoulder blades. This was the Goddess Gaia.

The third was a man dressed in a white shikifuku. He had black hair, a green eye, a white eye, in which he was blind and pale skin. A pair of black bat wings sprouted from his shoulder blades. This was the immortal Omnyouji, the reincarnation of the Dragon of Heaven, Sumeragi Subaru.

The fourth and last one was a man dressed in a black shikifuku. He had black hair, a gold eye, a white eye, in which he was blind and pale skin. A pair of white wings sprouted from his shoulder blades. This was the immortal Sakurazukamori, the reincarnation of the Dragon of Earth, Sakurazuka Seishirou.

"Are you ready, Shinigami?" Gaia said.

Duo smiled, and a blanket of darkness covered him. When it cleared, it was no longer Duo Maxwell who stood there, but Shinigami, the God of Death. He was tall and slender. His face was pale and smooth, unmarked by any visible blemishes, and was ageless, neither young nor old. His hair was amber and his braid reached to his knees while the two locks that framed his face was waist length. His golden eyes glowed in the light of the moon, and contained a great wisdom and deep sadness. Upon his brow was a circlet of woven silver with seven white stones which were evenly spaced along his hairline. Hanging from his pointed ears were rings of gold. His pitch black bat wings were folded against his back, and shimmered in the moon's silver light. He wore a tunic with a high neck of grey and the cloth buttons were of a silver cloth. Over the tunic he wore a heavy wine colored robe embroidered in gold in a Celtic design. The sleeves came to his knuckles and flared out slightly to allow him to spread his fingers wide. Over the robe he wore an over robe of black velvet trimmed with fur with a silver clasp to hold the robe closed over the breast in the shape of an inverted pentacle. The sleeves were broad and trimmed with silver embroidery in a swirling design of vines and leaves. His boots were made of supple leather and fitted him well, and though none could see it, the top of the knee high boots had a swirling design of leaves and vines stamped into the leather in gold. In his hand was a cherry wood staff that matched him in height and the ends were shod in gold and was carved in the same swirling design as on his over robe and boots, representing the cycle of life, death, and rebirth, the three aspects of existence over which he held absolute mastery.

"Wow… Duo…" Quatre breathed.

Shinigami's lips turned upward slightly. "Yes, Quatre, this is my true form, or at least as close to it as you can comprehend. Three years ago in that Oz Base, you saw a human reflection of what I am. You now see me in the form that can be best understood by your mortal consciousness." His smile vanished and he said seriously, "Silence, now. The extraction process is very delicate. One distraction, and Heero could be killed." With that, he turned around, and pinned Heero, who had been trying to get off the observation deck, with his gaze, bringing the Perfect Soldier to a stop.

Gaia drew a nexus around Heero, ten meters in diameter, to keep the spells of the immortals and the 'Kamui' Power in, and everything else out.

The five surrounded Heero, and they chanted an ancient spell in Latin. The five immortals glowed the color of their magic, Shinigami, black, Gaia, green, Cosmos, silver, Omnyouji, white, and Sakurazukamori, blood red. Their power formed a five pointed star, and in the center, Heero glowed pale blue, the color of the long hidden 'Kamui' Power. By the end of the spell, the blue light gathered in Heero's hands and shot upward. A hole opened in the shield, and the power, still surrounded by the pentagram of the five immortals' powers, shot into the sky, returning to the Gods as it should have been so many years ago. Heero collapsed.

Shinigami darted forward and caught him before he hit the metal. He gently laid the boy on the ground and as he straightened, he caught the eyes of Gaia, Cosmos, Omnyouji, and Sakurazukamori. They smiled and nodded. Shinigami nodded in response and the immortals vanished in a flurry of green, silver, white, and violet lights. A dark light surrounded Shinigami, and his wings closed around him. The light faded, and the wings parted, revealing Duo in all his human form. He folded his wings against his back, and they vanished.

Duo knelt beside the Japanese boy and carefully slipped one arm under Heero's lax back and slim muscled legs, and lifted the boy into his arms and stood slowly, with a lithe grace that came from his immortality.

He lifted quiet violet eyes to his friend's worried ones and said quietly, "He'll be alright. It takes a while to adjust to not having such a large amount of power in his system, but he'll be fine. All he needs is some rest, and maybe a week from today, we can begin his training."

"What kind of training?" Quatre's voice was confused.

Duo nodded. "To be or to have been someone with a destiny of Kamui's magnitude, one must be born with some power, even empathy will do. Kamui was born into the Magami Clan, therefore he had a lot of power. When he fled after his death, Kamui took with him, not only the 'Kamui' Power, but the Magami Magic of Shadow Sacrifice. We extracted the 'Kamui' Power, the Magami sorcery is still there, and since there are no more Magamis to teach him to control the power, another person must take on the task."

"Won't that get in the way of your duties?" he asked.

Duo chuckled. "If you want to be picky about it, I am _a_ death. People are constantly dieing, if not from war or starvation, then in accidents, disease, violence, old age, suicide; believe you me, there is plenty of work to go around." He cocked his head and pinned Quatre with a bright gaze. "Didn't we have this discussion once before?"

"Umm… I think so."

Duo's lips twitched and for a moment, he looked like a father watching his child indulgently. "Come on, Qat, let's get Soldier Boy into bed."

Quatre nodded and followed Duo out of the Tokyo Tower.


	16. Chapter 15: Not Quite the End

Ayashi no Yuugi

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter 15: **Not Quite the End**

Mitsuki Cosmos: Just so you know, we've rewritten chapter fourteen!

**XoXoXoXoX**

Name: Shinn Asuka  
Age: 21  
Colony: L2 X97260  
Description: Violet eyes, chestnut hair (usually in a braid)  
Origin: America  
Parents: Unknown

Basic Report:  
Age 6, Enrolled in Spica Training Academy in 185 AC  
Age 8, Graduation Exam, Gains Codename Duo in 187 AC  
Age 9, Graduated from Spica Training Academy with Honors, Valedictorian; Enrollment Mission, Gains Codename Maxewell; Enrolled in Orion Tactical Graduate Academy in 188 AC  
Age 11, Graduated from Orion Graduate Academy with Honors, Top Three; Enrollment Mission, Gains Codename Shinigami; Enrolled in Sagittarius Political University in 190 AC  
Age 13, Graduated from Sagittarius University with Honors, Top Five as Admiral, First Class, Type Two Unlimited; Joins GTK; Began Training as Gundam Pilot 02 in 192  
Age 16, End Training as Gundam Pilot 02; Begin Operation Meteor; Search for Kamui as Duo Maxwell and Shinigami begins in 195 AC  
Age 20, Kamui Power retrieved in 199 AC

Current Status: Active (Emergancy Only); Attending to Mission in Preventors

**XoXoXoXoX**

Name: Tsukino Arashi   
Age: 20 (Deceased)  
Colony: L4 X78450  
Description: Grey eyes, Blue-black hair (usually in a bun)  
Origin: Northern Europe  
Parents: Unknown

Basic Report:  
Age 6, Enrolled in Spica Training Academy in 185 AC  
Age 8, Graduation Exam, Gains Codename Kotori in 187 AC  
Age 9, Graduated from Spica Training Academy with Honors, Valedictorian; Enrollment Mission, Gains Codename Tenou; Enrolled in Orion Tactical Graduate Academy in 188 AC  
Age 11, Graduated from Orion Graduate Academy with Honors, Top Three; Enrollment Mission, Gains Codename Gaia; Enrolled in Sagittarius Political University in 190 AC  
Age 13, Graduated from Sagittarius University with Honors, Top Five as Admiral, First Class, Type One Unlimited; Joins GTK; Began Training as Gundam Pilot 08 in 192  
Age 16, End Training as Gundam Pilot 08; Begin Operation Meteor; Search for Kamui as Tenou Kotori and Gaia begins in 195 AC  
Age 20, Kamui Power retrieved in 199 AC

**XoXoXoXoX**

**Duo's POV**

Time moves very quickly for Mankind, but for me, Shinigami, time is meaningless.

Today is January 1, 200 AC, the New Year, and the beginning of a new destiny. Last night, Omnyouji, Sakurazukamori, Gaia, Cosmos, and I removed the Kamui Power.

Therefore, Heero is no longer the bearer of the Kamui Power, and is now the last remaining Shadow Sacrifice in existence. Gaia and Cosmos have returned to the Divine Realms, and to their duties as Deities. Omnyouji and Sakurazukamori have gone on to the Afterlife for a well deserved rest beside their fellow Dragons.

As for me? Well, I am busy training Heero to control his Magami magic, to become the next Shadow Sacrifice. There is, after all, no more Magami Heirs to teach him, and so, I am the only one who can do so.

The end has passed, and it is the dawning of a new beginning. Only time will tell what future lies ahead, and I, being an immortal, a Death, I will go where Time and Fate leads me. But for now, I have a home, a group of wonderful friends, my duty as Shinigami, a steady job with the CSA and Preventors, and I am content…

**X**Owari**X**

**XoXoXoX**

Kamui Gaia 07: So, Ayashi no Yuugi comes to an end… But the fun isn't over yet!

Duo: Look for the sequel to Ayashi no Yuugi… **Ayashi no Yuugi: The Last Sunrise**


End file.
